Rédaction Africa Links 24 with lexpress
Published on 2024-03-26 02:45:00
While residents of Soamahatamana in the Manandriana district were celebrating an “ala volon-jaza,” armed dahalo attacked them, resulting in three deaths and two injuries.
A festive atmosphere suddenly turned into horror in the village of Soamahatamana-Mirary, located in the commune of Ambovombe Centre, in the Manandriana district, during the night of Saturday to Sunday, around 10 p.m.
Three deaths and two injuries were reported when a cohort of heavily armed dahalo arrived to attack. These bandits struck during a “ala volon-jaza” ceremony (the first haircut of a baby, a cultural practice that symbolizes a child’s integration into society).
According to gendarme information, twenty criminals armed with weapons of war landed that night, while their target was celebrating with neighbors in his yard. They had come mainly to steal his five zebus.
Operation
The attackers did not hesitate to shoot those present at the well-watered evening around a big meal. The owner of the livestock, his brother coming from another hamlet, and their brother-in-law breathed their last on the scene of the shooting.
A 69-year-old man received a bullet in his right hand. Another, aged 37, was injured in the left hand. Both were taken to the Manandriana district hospital for necessary treatment. They are out of danger.
Other members of the fokonolona were more scared than hurt as they escaped the carnage. They fled the scene running with their children, as reported by a local authority.
The gendarmerie was informed late, around 1 a.m. The dahalo followed the southern direction. A reinforcement unit was sent there to simultaneously carry out a calming operation. Since then, no new information has surfaced.
Some districts in the Amoron’i Mania region, such as Ambatofinandrahana and Manandriana, have experienced a resurgence of deadly attacks by dahalo.
Recently, in the commune of Amborompotsy-Ambatofinandrahana, a first-class gendarme was killed in an altercation. His colleague, shot in the left arm, survived.
Hajatiana Leonard
Read the original article(French) on lexpress.mg
