A Knife Attack Leaves Comoros’ President “Slightly Injured”

According to his administration, the president of the island nation of Comoros in the Indian Ocean was “slightly injured” in a knife attack on Friday while attending a religious leader’s funeral. Authorities added that another person suffered injuries while attempting to defend him.

According to a statement from his office, President Azali Assoumani’s injuries were not life-threatening and he had returned home. It stated that the assailant had been apprehended by security personnel and was being held by them, but it provided no further information regarding the attacker’s name or the specifics of the incident.

The attack took place at Salimani, a community outside of Moroni, the capital.

Aboubacar Said Anli, the minister of government, stated on Saturday that a civilian was hurt in the attack while trying to save the president. Information regarding the degree of the civilian’s injuries was not immediately available.

In a referendum deemed rigged by opposition parties, Assoumani was reelected as president of Comoros in January. After the election, there was at least one death due to disturbance.

Following a coup in 1999, Assoumani, 65, a former military officer, took control of Comoros for the first time. He was elected again in 2016 after completing his first term as president in 2002–2006.