Comoros President Azali Assoumani narrowly escaped injury during an explosion on Anjouan island while campaigning for upcoming elections, his team reported. The incident occurred ahead of the March 24 polls, with officials alleging explosives were placed to destabilize the vote.
Opposition leaders rejected the government's account, calling the event "a staged incident" designed to suppress voter turnout. Ibrahim Mohamed Soule of the Juwa coalition accused Assoumani's campaign of fabricating attacks to justify authoritarian measures, stating, "The only legitimate contest should be at the ballot box."
Political tensions have escalated in the Indian Ocean archipelago following last year's Anjouan insurrection and a referendum that could extend Assoumani's rule until 2029. The president, who first seized power in a 1999 coup and was re-elected in 2006, faces accusations of authoritarianism since his 2016 re-election.
His campaign director, Houmed Msaidie, described explosives found at the blast site, noting the president's convoy stopped just in time. Military personnel initially mistook the explosion for a rocket attack, but no casualties were reported. Msaidie asserted the attack aimed to derail the election process, stating, "The elections will proceed despite this intimidation."
