President of Comoros Injured in Knife Attack at Funeral

The President of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, was slightly injured in a knife attack at a funeral. Another person was also hurt while protecting him. The attack occurred in Salimani near Moroni. The attacker has been arrested. Assoumani has faced allegations of election fraud and cracking down on dissent.

The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, was 'slightly injured' in a knife attack while attending the funeral of a religious leader on Friday, according to his office. The incident also saw another individual hurt while attempting to protect the president, authorities confirmed.

President Assoumani's injuries were minor, and he has since returned home, his office reported. Security forces apprehended the attacker, who remains in custody. No further details have been provided about the attacker's identity or the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The attack took place in Salimani, a town on the outskirts of the capital Moroni. Government minister Aboubacar Said Anli mentioned that a civilian was also injured during the incident while trying to shield the president, but the extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

Assoumani was re-elected as president of Comoros in January, a vote that opposition parties condemned as fraudulent. There was at least one fatality from unrest following the election. Assoumani, 65, who first came to power through a coup in 1999 and served as president from 2002 to 2006, was re-elected in 2016 and has extended his presidency into a fourth term.

The president has faced accusations of suppressing dissent and banning peaceful protests. Comoros, an archipelago off Africa's east coast, has experienced more than a dozen coups or attempted coups since its independence from France in 1975.

(With inputs from agencies.)