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Madagascar: Fighting on the frontline
07/06/2002 12:37 - (SA)
Savamba, Madagascar - Forces loyal to Madagascar's president said on Friday they had engaged in a brief firefight the previous afternoon near the northeastern town of Sambava with troops backing a rival leader.
"There was an attempted infiltration around 16:00 (13:00 GMT),"
said an officer commanding President Marc Ravalomanana's forces on a bridge some 20 kilometres north of Sambava, a key town
in Madagascar's vanilla-growing region.
The bridge marks the frontline between Ravalomanana's forces and
those of Didier Ratsiraka, who still regards himself as head of
state and refuses to recognise his rival's officially declared
victory in a presidential election.
"There was an exchange of fire but no one on our side was wounded. We are still holding the bridge," said the officer.
Fifteen people, including four civilians, were killed on Sunday
and Monday in fighting that led Ravalomanana's men to take Sambava from diehard Ratsiraka supporters. - Sapa-AFP
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