Two explosions were heard near Madagascar’s presidential palace on Monday, but there was no indication they represented an attack by the opposition or army on the increasingly isolated President Marc Ravalomanana.
”There were two loud explosions at around 3am, but I don’t know where they came from. They were strong enough to shake the house,” said local resident Solanje Rasoamanana.
A presidential aide said the explosions, which took place about 1,6km from the palace, were an attempt to scare Ravalomanana, whose resignation the opposition is demanding.
”This was nothing more than an attempt to intimidate,” said a statement on Radio Mada, owned by the president. ”A vigilante group nearby saw five 4X4s leave with masked men inside.”
Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina was to lead another rally in the capital Antananarivo from 7am GMT where he is expected to give a response to Ravalomanana’s proposal at the weekend for a referendum.
A political crisis since the start of 2009 has sent Madagascar’s economy into a tailspin, and caused unrest that has killed at least 135 people.
A spokesperson for the army, which has leaned away from Ravalomanana but not definitively allied with Rajoelina, said the blasts had nothing to do with them. – Reuters