Air France Halts Flights To Madagascar Over Massive Protests

Air France has suspended its flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport to Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, following days of violent protests and growing security concerns in the island nation.

The airline announced on Sunday that all flights would be halted from October 11 to October 13 “due to the security situation” on the ground.

In a statement, the French carrier said it was “monitoring the situation in real time with the authorities”, adding that any resumption of service would depend on daily safety assessments.

Affected passengers will be notified and offered rebooking or refund options, the airline said.

The suspension comes amid growing unrest in Madagascar after an army faction joined a wave of anti-government protests that began in late September.

The CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers declared on Sunday that it was taking control of the country’s military forces, while President Andry Rajoelina has described it as “an attempt to seize power illegally and by force”.

Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Antananarivo on Saturday, demanding Rajoelina’s resignation and decrying widespread power outages and water shortages.

Soldiers from the unit clashed with members of the national gendarmerie, Madagascar’s military police, outside a barracks on Saturday before driving into the city on army vehicles to join the demonstrators, who greeted them with cheers and calls for President Rajoelina to step down.

“The attempt to seize power illegally, contrary to the Constitution and democratic principles, is underway,” Rajoelina said in a statement on Sunday, calling for unity and dialogue to resolve the crisis.

The rebellious officers accused security forces of excessive violence against civilians, saying they would “refuse orders to shoot”.

The gendarmerie later acknowledged “faults and excesses” during earlier interventions, urging reconciliation between the security forces.

Saturday’s protest was among the largest since demonstrations erupted on September 25. According to the United Nations, at least 22 people have been killed since the unrest began, while local reports put the latest toll at 24 dead and over two dozen injured.

However, Madagascar’s government insists that Rajoelina remains in control of state affairs, even as the political and security situation continues to deteriorate.