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Military members have threatened to seize the national TV headquarters in Madagascar as President Andry Rajoelina was scheduled to speak to the nation, his administration reports, amid unverified information that he has left the country.

A foreign military aircraft is believed to have airlifted Rajoelina from the island island to an unknown location, following a 14 days of nationwide rallies aimed at kicking him from power.

His unsuccessful attempts to calm young protesters - dubbed "Gen Z Mada" - saw him dismiss his complete government and make further concessions to without success.

On Sunday, his administration said an effort was ongoing to push him out of power. He has not been seen in open since Wednesday.

Rajoelina's arranged address to the nation has been put off several times - it was initially scheduled at 1900 national time (1600 GMT).

Over the weekend, a significant army unit - referred to as CAPSAT - that assisted establish Rajoelina in power in 2009 proceeded to undermine him by announcing itself in control of all the armed forces, while some of its personnel joined activists on the streets of the capital, Antananarivo.

Following a meeting of defense commanders on Monday, the new Military Commander installed by CAPSAT, Gen Demosthene Pikulas, assured the public that the military were cooperating to preserve peace in the island nation.

By Monday night, the commander was at government TV facilities trying to resolve the situation, according to a statement from the administration.

Speaking on condition of privacy, a senior official in Madagascar's largest opposition party revealed that Madagascar was now effectively being governed by CAPSAT.

The TIM party has furthermore announced it intends to bring removal actions against Rajoelina for "desertion of position".

Several of Rajoelina's top advisors have fled to nearby Mauritius. They include former Cabinet Head Richard Ravalomanana and the executive Maminiaina Ravatomanga.

In spite of its abundant raw materials, Madagascar is among the most impoverished countries in the world. About 75% of people there live below the impoverishment threshold, while information shows just over one-third of residents have opportunity to electricity.

The rallies started over dissatisfaction with ongoing water and power outages, then intensified to reflect broader unhappiness with Rajoelina's regime over significant unemployment, corruption, and the cost-of-living crisis.

At least 22 people were fatally injured and in excess of 100 hurt in the first few days of the demonstrations, although the authorities has denied these statistics.

Observers detail law enforcement opening fire on demonstrators with live ammunition. In a particular situation, a baby died from respiratory issues after being subjected to tear gas.

Madagascar has been impacted by multiple protests since it gained independence in 1960, comprising large-scale demonstrations in 2009 that forced then-President Marc Ravalomanana to resign and saw Rajoelina ushered into office.

Aged just 34 at the time, Rajoelina became Africa's youngest leader - continuing to lead for four years, then coming back to power again after the 2018 election.

Rajoelina was coming from wealth and, earlier than pursuing politics, had established himself for himself as an business owner and DJ - creating a radio station and an advertising company during this period.

But his well-dressed, baby-faced appeal soon declined, as claims of favoritism and deep-rooted corruption became unshakeable.

More on Madagascar's emergency:

• Behind the Gen Z protesters who aim to compel Madagascar's president from power
• Army general appointed as Madagascar PM to calm Gen Z protests