PHOTO: Colonel Michael Randrianirina and other members of the elite CAPSAT military unit, standing in front of the presidential palace after announcing they had taken power - Courtesy

According to a BBC report, the development follows weeks of sustained protests against Rajoelina’s administration and comes just hours after lawmakers in the national assembly voted to impeach the president.

Rajoelina, however, has swiftly rejected the impeachment vote, declaring it “null and void.” His current whereabouts remain unclear; on Monday evening, he broadcast a live address to the nation on Facebook, stating he was speaking from a “safe place.”

Amid the confusion, a senior army general stated that the security forces are working collaboratively to maintain order throughout the island nation.

The military unit’s power grab marks a severe escalation in the political crisis that has gripped Madagascar.