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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Madagascar army 'retakes' camp after mutiny |
| 2012-07-23 |
| Madagascar's army says it is back in control of a military camp close to the airport in the capital Antananarivo after several soldiers earlier staged a mutiny. The military said on Sunday that the group of mutinous soldiers who stormed the camp were eventually driven out in an assault by government forces. The leader of the rebellion was killed, the army said. "The situation is under control. Corporal Koto Mainty, alias Black, has been killed," General Raphael Ramasy, chief of staff of the defence minister, told the public television station TVM. Mainty was the bodyguard of former defence minister Noel Rakotonandrasana. Rakotonandrasana was arrested after taking part in another mutiny back in 2010. "The other mutineers gave themselves up or were arrested," Ramasy said. "Four other civilians were arrested ... Two mutineers and two other elements of the security forces are wounded." An officer sent in to begin negotiations with the soldiers was shot and later died of his wounds, the army said. Two fighters of each side also suffered injuries, according to the defence ministry. The island has been wracked by political turmoil over the last three years since the ousting of president Marc Ravalomanana, who has since lived in self-imposed exile in South Africa. Then-opposition leader Andry Rajoelina led violent street protests against Ravalomanana and eventually seized power in March 2009 with the help of dissident army officers. The rival leaders are scheduled to meet for reconciliation talks next week in the Seychelles. |
| Posted by:Pappy |