Several suspects were arrested on Tuesday regarding a devastated assassination attempt on Madagascar’s president Andry Rajoelina, the country’s prosecutor’s office said.
“Several foreign nationals and Madagascar nationals were arrested on Tuesday, July 20, as part of an investigation into an attack on state security,” prosecutor Berthine Razafiarivony said in a statement released overnight.
“At this stage of the ongoing investigation, the prosecution assures that we will shed light on this case,” she added.
“According to the evidence we have, these individuals have devised a plan to eliminate and neutralize a number of people, including the head of state,” the justice minister said.
It added that investigations were ongoing and that no further details could be revealed.
Rajoelina swore in as president of the island nation in 2019 after a difficult election and a constitutional court challenge from his rival.
The extent of the plot, or how far advanced, was not immediately clear.
The statement did not specify the nationality of the foreign nationals.
Referring to diplomatic sources, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that two French citizens are among the suspects.
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