A gang of 12 robbers attacked the village of Ambolotakarakeli
At least 32 people have been killed after poachers set fire to houses in a village north of the capital Antananarivo with its president Madagascar to pledge today that the culprits will be punished for this “massacre”.
“We must identify the perpetrators of this massacre and punish them according to the current law”President Andri Rajoelina said in a message. “The Madagascar army takes all its responsibilities to save the population and track down the criminals”he added.
According to police, 32 people were killed and three injured when a gang of about 12 bandits attacked the village of Ambolotakarakeli, Ankazobe commune, about 75 kilometers north of the capital, on Friday.
Military helicopters have been deployed to track down the suspects and help ground military forces search the Ancazobe area, police said.
The attackers gathered the victims inside three houses before setting them on fire, she said police. The three injured are being treated in intensive care units at a local hospital.
On a small hill, the village of Ambolotakarakeli consists of a few dozen houses with thatched roofs. Television footage showed three houses burnt to the ground, with only parts of the walls still standing.
An island in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world with chronic problems of insecurity, particularly animal poaching.
RES-EMP
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