"Capsat soldiers brought the current president, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a coup in 2009. The soldiers' intervention ratcheted up pressure on Rajoelina, who demonstrators have been demanding stand down. The youth-led protests broke out on 25 September, initially over water and electricity cuts. However, they quickly widened into calls for a complete overhaul of the political system, with the gen Z protesters not placated by Rajoelina firing his government last week."
"However, a Capsat leader accompanied by a large group of soldiers called on other military units to refuse orders to shoot your friends, in a video that was posted on social media before they left their barracks. Let us join forces, military, gendarmes and police, and refuse to be paid to shoot our friends, our brothers and our sisters, he said, also calling on soldiers at the airport to prevent all aircraft from taking off. Close the gates and await our instructions, he said."
Thousands of protesters marched in Antananarivo alongside soldiers from the elite Capsat unit, who drove armoured vehicles and waved Madagascar flags. Capsat previously brought President Andry Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup and declared it would not fire on demonstrators. Youth-led protests began on 25 September over water and electricity cuts, then expanded into calls for a complete political overhaul and Rajoelina's resignation. Police used stun grenades and teargas to disperse crowds. The armed forces minister urged troops to remain calm and prioritise dialogue, while Capsat leaders urged other units to refuse orders to shoot and to block airport departures.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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