About 1,000 protesters marched through Madagascar's capital, clashing with police who used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse them, in the third week of the most significant unrest in years in the Indian Ocean island nation, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
Police patrolled the streets of Antananarivo in armored vehicles and attacked protesters, most of whom wore masks. It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.
The protests, led by a group calling itself "Gen Z Madagascar" (Gen Z Madagascar), are the latest in a series of demonstrations that the United Nations says have left 22 dead and dozens injured. The government disputes these figures.
The protests were initially sparked by water and electricity outages, but soon expanded to include dissatisfaction with allegations of corruption and nepotism.
The protests led Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina to dismiss his entire cabinet, but that has failed to appease young people, who are now calling for him to resign. They also rejected an invitation to negotiate with Rajoelina on Wednesday.
During the clashes in the Anosy and Mahamasina districts, near the Mahamasina municipal stadium, protesters blocked some streets with stones and burning tires.
Madagascar, a large island of about 31 million people off the east coast of Africa with a history of political crises, has seen several leaders forced from power in uprisings since it gained independence from France in 1960.
The country struggles with severe poverty, which affects about 80% of the population, according to the World Bank.
Rajoelina, 51, was elected president in 2018 and re-elected in 2023, with opposition parties boycotting the elections.