Comorian President Azali Assoumani Survives Knife Attack

Comorian President Azali Assoumani was attacked with a knife on September 13, 2024, during a funeral in the Salimani-Itsandra community.

The attacker, a 22-year-old man who joined the army two years ago, is described as an “active gendarme” recruited in 2022. According to the presidency, President Assoumani is doing well after the stabbing attack and has returned home.

The attack occurred during the funeral of a distinguished sheikh in the country. The presidency stated that the attacker is in the hands of the security services, but no further details on the circumstances or motive behind the attack have been released.

Comorian government spokeswoman Fatima Ahamada confirmed the attack took place in Salimani-Itsandra, a small town bordering Moroni, on the heights of the archipelago’s capital. Witnesses reported that the attacker was in the room where the body of the deceased sheikh was displayed when he attacked President Azali.

President Azali Assoumani, 65, a former army chief of staff, has been in power since 1999. He was re-elected president in January after a contested vote followed by two days of deadly demonstrations. His critics accuse him of increasing jurisdiction in the three-island archipelago.

President Assoumani has appointed his son, Nour El Fath Azali, as secretary general of the government, leading some to believe that his son is the de facto Prime Minister. This move has raised concerns about the concentration of power in the country.

President Assoumani previously held the rotating presidency of the African Union (AU) between January 2023 and February 2024, a first for a small country and island state.