Military officers who seized power in Madagascar in a protest crisis said their leader would be sworn in as the country's new president on Friday.

The military leadership under Colonel Michael Randrianirina has promised elections within two years after President Andry Rajoelina was impeached following weeks of popular demonstrations.

The international community voiced alarm, with the United Nations censuring what it called an "unconstitutional" takeover.

The poor Indian Ocean nation was plunged into its worst political upheaval in years after the CAPSAT elite military unit took power moments after parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old president, in power since 2009, appeared to have fled the country as street protests escalated.

Madagascar is the latest of

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