▁France ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁political ▁independence ▁and ▁so vere ig nt y ▁of ▁the ▁Mal ag asy ▁armed ▁forces , ▁which ▁compr ises ▁an ▁army , ▁n avy ▁and ▁air ▁force , ▁was ▁restored ▁with ▁independence ▁from ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁Since ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁Mal ag asy ▁military ▁has ▁never ▁engaged ▁in ▁armed ▁conflict ▁with ▁another ▁state ▁or ▁within ▁its ▁own ▁borders , ▁but ▁has ▁occasionally ▁interven ed ▁to ▁restore ▁order ▁during ▁periods ▁of ▁political ▁un rest . ▁Under ▁the ▁social ist ▁Second ▁Republic , ▁Admir al ▁Did ier ▁Rat si ra ka ▁inst ated ▁mand atory ▁national ▁armed ▁or ▁civil ▁service ▁for ▁all ▁young ▁citizens ▁regardless ▁of ▁gender , ▁a ▁policy ▁that ▁remained ▁in ▁effect ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁The ▁armed ▁forces ▁are ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Inter ior ▁and ▁have ▁remained ▁largely ▁neutral ▁during ▁times ▁of ▁political ▁crisis , ▁as ▁during ▁the ▁prot ract ed ▁st ando ff ▁between ▁inc umb ent ▁Rat si ra ka ▁and ▁ch allen ger ▁Marc ▁R aval oman ana ▁in ▁the ▁disput ed ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁president ial ▁elections , ▁when ▁the ▁military ▁refused ▁to ▁interven e ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁either ▁candidate . ▁This ▁tradition ▁was ▁broken ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁when ▁a ▁segment ▁of ▁the ▁army ▁defect ed ▁to ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁And ry ▁R ajo el ina , ▁then - may or ▁of ▁Ant