Set of targeted terrorist attacks in Antananarivo: the escalation?

Since few weeks, Antananarivo and its surroundings have been living in a climate of insecurity because of a set of hold ups. In the night of Saturday to Sunday July 19th, violence escalated further more. Several targeted attempts have been neutralized. The alert is blood red. 

A group of men vigorously raided the Viva TV headquarters in Ambodivona. Two security agents dead. The first inquired their identity and the reason of their presence. He got point blank shot dead. The second ran away to take refuge in a car but was surrounded by the armed men. Extracted from his hideaway, he ended executed. 

Another security agent had more luck since only his leg has been hit. Against the determination of these attackers, these civilian agents could not do much. One of them successfully exited from the Tana Water Front commercial center. Then met police forces led by colonel Richard Ravalomanana who made for Ambodivona as soon as being informed of the attack

 A car exploded in the district, close to the crossing. Two seriously and one lightly injured and one dead have been reported. The search operated on the dead victim drove the investigators to conclude that they were “terrorists” but not ” victims “. A hand made map of the blockades to install in the city’s main streets, a list of the targets has been found. The link is therefore established between the events of Ambohibao and Ambodivona. 

The authorities strain to declare a genuine war to those tagged as “terrorists”. Military and state police bases have been targeted. They are no ordinary bases since they shelter special forces. A bomb has been found in the 1st RFI (Intervention Forces Regiment) base camp occupied by paratroopers. Exploding deveices have been deactivated at Fort Duchesne, one of the state police forces’ bases. 

The “terrorists” also planned to target the central Police Station and the state police base in Ankadilalana where investigations on the recent unrests are running. The CNME’s facilities, the commission previously commanded by former operation chiefs Charles Andrianasoavina and René Lylson, have also been targeted. Both men have become the leaders of the special Task force whose mission is the fight against the terrorism. It’s almost amazing that colonel Ravalomanana has been starring instead of them in the events of July 19th.