clashes leave one dead, the opposition calls on the population to demonstrate on Friday

A nighttime curfew was imposed on the country’s three islands on Wednesday evening until an undetermined date.

One person was killed and five others injured in clashes in the Comoros, a hospital official announced on Thursday January 18, two days after the announcement of the victory of outgoing Azali Assoumani in the presidential election. The opposition, which is calling for the cancellation of the vote, is calling for demonstrations on Friday to denounce “electoral masquerade”.

On Wednesday, clashes increased in several neighborhoods of Moroni, the capital. Buildings were vandalized and burned: the house of a minister, the premises of a state enterprise, a rice warehouse, etc. On Thursday, sporadic tensions between youth groups and law enforcement continued. The person killed, aged 21, was “most likely by gunshot”according to the head of emergency at Moroni hospital.

A nighttime curfew was introduced on the country’s three islands (Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli) on Wednesday evening and until an undetermined date. Several arrests were made, but no details were made public. Protest is rare in the archipelago, neighboring Mayotte, held with an iron fist. The UN launched an appeal on Wednesday “quiet” in Comoros, urging authorities to protect the right to protest.

The opposition denounces “gross fraud”

Arriving at the head of the country in 1999 through a coup d’état, Colonel Azali Assoumani was re-elected on Sunday in the first round, with 62.97% of the votes, but only 16.30% participation in the vote, according to the official figures announced Tuesday evening. This victory should allow him to return for a third consecutive term and remain in power until 2029. The opposition has denounced “gross frauds” and “ballot stuffers”.

“It is not an organized protest, but we are in solidarity with the spontaneous movement. We salute the courage of these young people. It is a right to demonstrate”, underlined opponent Daoudou Abdallah Mohamed, presidential candidate. In a joint statement, the five opposition candidates then called for “make tomorrow Friday a national day of protest and denunciation of Azali’s electoral masquerade and his power.”