Comoros President Ghazali Othmani survived an assassination attempt after being attacked with a knife, according to a government spokesperson who confirmed that his life is not in danger. The spokesperson, Fatima Ahmed, in a press statement on Friday, stated that “the President was attacked in Suleiman-Estandra,” a region adjacent to Moroni in the highlands of the archipelago’s capital.
She added, “Thankfully, his life is not in danger.” Media sources close to the presidency reported that “President Ghazali Othmani suffered minor injuries from a bladed weapon during the funeral ceremony of a prominent religious leader in the country,” noting that “his injuries are not serious,” and the attacker has been apprehended.
No further details were available regarding the circumstances of the attack or the attacker’s motives.
It is noted that Ghazali Othmani, a politician and military figure, has been the President of the Comoros since 2016 and previously held the presidency from 1999 to 2002, and again from 2002 to 2006. The Comoros archipelago consists of three islands: Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli, with a population of 870,000, 45% of whom live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.
