A former French serviceman has been detained in Madagascar over an alleged plot to destabilise the country. The French national had been charged with multiple offences, including criminal conspiracy and plotting to sabotage infrastructure such as power lines and thermal plants.
Other accomplices, including a Malagasy army officer, Colonel Patrick Rakotomamonjy, have also been charged for the alleged plot. Authorities said the group had planned actions initially set for April 18.
Prosecutors say the plot, allegedly organised through a WhatsApp group, included plans for power cuts, inciting security forces, and mobilising unrest.
The arrests come amid ongoing political instability following youth-led protests last year, which helped topple the country's then-President Andry Rajoelina.
Madagascar is a former French colony that retains close political links to France and has had a history of instability in recent decades.
