Madagascan Troops Switch Sides
- 00:00:55
- MediaScrape
Madagascan Troops Switch Sides
Tanks and troops took control of a presidential palace in the center of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo on Monday (March 16) after the military joined opposition leader Andry Rajoelina in his power struggle with President Marc Ravalomanana. The president was not in the building but was sheltering in another palace about 10 kms (6 miles) away. He had resisted growing pressure to resign over the crisis in the Indian Ocean island in which at least 135 people have been killed. Gunfire and explosions rang out as tanks burst into the palace grounds but there was apparently little resistance, Reuters Video Journalist said. Soon after, two tanks were parked outside the palace's main steps and soldiers walked around the grounds. A third tank was stationed outside the palace compound. Opposition leader Rajoelina had called earlier for the security forces to arrest Ravalomanana, who had offered a referendum on whether he should stay.
MediaScrape | March 17, 2009
