Comoros President Azali Assoumani on Friday, sustained injures in a knife attack, but his life is not in danger, according to government officials.
The attack occurred in Salimani-Itsandra, an area on the outskirts of the capital Moroni, where President Assoumani was attending a funeral.
“The head of state was victim of an attack in Salimani-Itsandra,” government spokeswoman Fatima Ahamadael told AFP.
A source close to the presidency revealed that President Assoumani was “slightly injured by a knife” and that “his injuries are not serious.”
“The president has received medical attention and is out of danger,” a second source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The attacker, identified as a young active-duty gendarme recruited in 2022, was arrested immediately after the incident.
No further details about the attacker’s motives or the circumstances surrounding the attack have been released.
This incident comes after President Assoumani’s disputed re-election in January, which was followed by two days of deadly protests.
Assoumani, 65, a former military ruler who came to power in a coup in 1999, has faced criticism for growing authoritarianism.
