President of Comoros injured in knife attack; suspect found dead in custody

MORONI, Comoros — The president of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, was slightly injured in a knife attack during the funeral of a religious leader on Friday, according to his office.

The assailant, identified as 24-year-old soldier Ahmed Abdou, was found dead in a police cell on Saturday.

Assoumani’s injuries were described as minor, and he has since returned home.

The attack occurred in Salimani, a town on the outskirts of the capital, Moroni. Abdou, armed with a kitchen knife, targeted the president during the ceremony.

A civilian was also injured while attempting to shield Assoumani, said government minister Aboubacar Said Anli.

Following the attack, Abdou was apprehended by security forces and placed in custody. Public prosecutor Ali Mohamed Djounaid confirmed that Abdou was found unresponsive in his cell the following day and was declared dead.

An investigation is ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack and the circumstances of Abdou’s death in custody.

Assoumani, 65, was re-elected as president in January, a vote that opposition parties criticized as fraudulent. The election led to unrest that resulted in at least one fatality. Comoros, an archipelago off the east coast of Africa, has experienced numerous coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975.

A former military officer, Assoumani initially seized power in a 1999 coup and served as president from 2002 to 2006. He was re-elected in 2016 and extended his presidency into a fourth term this year after constitutional changes removed term limits and abolished a rotational presidency system among the islands. His administration has faced accusations of suppressing dissent and banning peaceful protests. — Agencies