Two killed, several injured in Madagascar mutiny - reports

May 20, 2010, 15:49 GMT

Antananarivo, Madagascar - Two people were reportedly killed and five injured on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar on Thursday in clashes between state security forces and a group of mutinous military police opposed to controversial leader Andry Rajoelina.

A gunbattle broke out when soldiers and police surrounded a barracks of the Gendarmes Intervention Force (FIGN) in the capital Antananarivo, where a group of military police had barricaded themselves.

Madagascar's private TV Plus television channel reported that one gendarme was killed and five people, including civilians, were injured in the clashes.

Western diplomatic sources told the German Press Agency dpa that a pastor from an evangelical church was also killed.

The pastor was said to be part of a group of church leaders and opposition members loyal to ousted former president Marc Ravalomanana that staged a protest near the barracks in support of the gendarmes.

The fighting had ceased by the afternoon and talks were underway between the government forces and the gendarmes, who are led by Colonel Richard Andrianjafy, the sources said.

The world's fourth-largest island has been engulfed in turmoil since early last year when Rajoelina, 35, seized power from Ravalomanana in a military-backed coup after weeks of deadly protests.

Since then, the economy of the spice island has gone into freefall with Western donors cutting non-essential aid in protest over the coup.

On Wednesday Adrianjafy accused Rajoelina of abusing his power and said the protesters were prepared to go 'all the way' to assume their 'responsibilities.'

Months of internationally-brokered negotiations last year between Rajoelina, Ravalomanana and two other former presidents resulted in a transitional power-sharing deal that Rajoelina then refused to implement.

He has said, however, that he will not stand in presidential elections scheduled for November.