The Madagascar government on Friday ordered civilians to evacuate areas in and around a military camp in the Antananarivo suburbs where a group of mutinous troops are holed up.

"We ask families living in the Ivato camp and residents of the surrounding area to temporarily leave the area for a safer place," the defence ministry said in a statement broadcast on national radio and television.

Around 20 officers who staged an attempted coup Wednesday are believed to be inside the camp around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the centre of the city, close to the city's international airport.

Even after the evacuation warning, most shops around the camp were still open and traffic was normal. There was no sign of unusual military activity.

Madagascar army general Noel Rakotonandrasana led the attempted coup and said Thursday he would persist with his power grab despite failing to win the support of the army.

Authorities went into talks with general to try and resolve the fresh crisis on the Indian Ocean island, which has been in a political limbo since Andry Rajoelina took power after toppling president Marc Ravalomanana last year.

If talks fail Rajoelina has warned that the government was prepared to take action against the rebel officers

Rakotonandrasana was appointed armed forces minister after Rajoelina's March 2009 takeover, but he was sacked in April on suspicion of plotting against Rajoelina's regime.

Wednesday's mutiny came as Madagascans were voting on a new constitution designed to give the country a fresh political start after more than 18 months of political turmoil.