2008 invasion of Anjouan

Background

Tensions rise

The Comoran federal Government delayed the holding of an election on Anjouan due to alleged irregularities and intimidation, but Bacar nevertheless printed ballots and held an election in June, claiming a landslide victory of 90 per cent. In July 2007, Bacar declared Anjouan to be independent of the Comoros.

Military build-up

In March 2008, hundreds of the Comoran Government troops began assembling on Mohéli, which is closer to Anjouan than the larger island, Grande Comore. Sudan and Senegal provided a total of 750 troops, while Libya offered logistical support for the operation. In addition, 500 Tanzanian troops were due to arrive soon after. France, the former colonial power, also assisted the operation by airlifting AU troops to the area.

Vows of resistance from the self-declared President of Anjouan were met with stern words from the AU envoy, saying "He will be overwhelmed...I am afraid to say that if he tries to do that, it will be the end of him physically, if necessary." In an interview with IRIN, Bacar said: "National President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi does not know anything concerning the military, but if I had to advise him I would say that it's not the solution. The first time 1997 the army came we kicked them out. The second time May 2007 the army came we kicked them out. That means that if they try to come a third time we will kick them out."

Anjouan promised to hold new elections in May 2008, which South African President Thabo Mbeki supported as a way to resolve the crisis. Mbeki once more tried to stop the invasion on March 14 but the AU disregarded his proposal and the invasion went ahead.

Pre-invasion incidents

On March 3, 2008, a fuel ship supplying the Comoros Army caught fire in the port of Comoros' capital, Moroni. The cause of the fire was unknown. On March 11 an armed incursion occurred on the islands where three members of the Anjouan Militia loyal to President Bacar were captured and taken to Mohéli for interrogation. Diplomacy continued with an intervention by South African President Mbeki who attempted to delay the planned AU invasion to the distinct displeasure of the Comorian Government.{{Cite news | access-date =March 25, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080323180728/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7306986.stm| archive-date=March 23, 2008 | url-status= live}} It is understood that Mbeki spoke to the head of the AU, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, by phone on March 14 to stall the attempt to depose Bacar.{{Cite news | access-date =March 25, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090225221255/http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=vn20080316090807474C517053| archive-date=February 25, 2009| url-status= live}}

Despite Mbeki's attempts to stop the invasion, a fishing boat with soldiers left Moheli for Anjouan onMarch 14. There were conflicting statements from both sides, with Comoran and AU military sources reporting that a fishing boat carrying around fifty soldiers from the Government of Comoros landed in southern Anjouan and attempted to capture a police station. In a later statement, Comoran Chief of Staff Salim Mohamed revised the information and said a reconnaissance team of about 10 soldiers landed on March 14 in the south of Anjouan island and reached the southern town of Domoni. A federal source said that two soldiers were wounded. "The target of the operation was the Domoni police station in Anjouan so as to free political prisoners," said the source.

The troops then retreated back to Mohéli and returned to Anjouan on Sunday 16March to rescue the two wounded soldiers. According to a military source one federal soldier suffered an arm injury and another had a minor foot injury.{{Cite news |access-date = March 25, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080516055231/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8jQOYzG0IlUqDELwm1GWN7yH94w |archive-date = May 16, 2008 |url-status = dead

|access-date = March 25, 2008

France's role in the crisis was brought into question when, on March 19, a French police helicopter on an unauthorised, clandestine mission from the French-administered Comoro island of Mayotte crashed in the sea close to the city of Sima on Anjouan. Reports from officials in the Comoros said that no one was hurt in the crash. The helicopter was owned by France's Mayotte-based air and border police force. Critics allege the helicopter was involved in an attempt to bring Bacar into French exile, and that Bacar was only holding out so long because he was protected by the French. Lieutenant-Colonel Salimou Mohamed Amiri, Comoros Government Spokesman, declared:

|access-date = March 25, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080413021049/http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN941774.html |archive-date = April 13, 2008 |url-status = dead

The French military had already transported about 300 Tanzanian troops and 30 tons of freight to Grand Comore between March 14 and March 16. According to reports a French diplomat said that France was ready to transport Senegalese troops as well, but had not yet done so. The diplomatic source said France remains "favourable" to dialogue but on condition that Bacar accepts the presence of African troops at the port and airport of Anjouan. | access-date = March 25, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090226031603/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/18/africa/AF-GEN-Comoros-Attack.php | archive-date = February 26, 2009 | url-status = live

Invasion

On the morning of March 24, 2008, five boats transporting approximately 1,500 AU soldiers left the port of Fomboni, capital of the island of Mohéli. Bacar and his troops vowed to fight until the last man was left standing, with an Anjouan lieutenant stating, "We will fight until we die."

It was reported that the runway at Ouani Airport close to Mutsamudu was blocked with baggage trolleys and the atmosphere was tense as the island braced itself for the impending assault. Before the telephone lines were cut an Anjouan government spokesperson was quoted as saying: "They have decided to kill but we are not afraid. We are well prepared. Our forces are ready and it's going to work!"{{Cite news |access-date = March 25, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090226002013/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=d7e2ea34-a532-4fe3-aaf7-9d903b3903e6&k=55985 |archive-date = February 26, 2009 |url-status = dead

About 450 troops landed on the north side of the Anjouan Bay at dawn on 25March. The first shots were heard around 5 a.m. (GMT+3) on the island, in the town of Ouani, near the airport and the presidential residence. The combined forces quickly advanced on the town of Ouani to secure the airfield. The BBC reported that the island's capital, airport, seaport, and second city were all overrun by dawn, to scenes of jubilation from the local population. By mid-day, the presidential palace was deserted. But other journalists reported that the AU forces had "struggled to progress further under the automatic fire of Anjouan forces" and in the afternoon "clashes with heavy artillery continued to shake the town of Ouani." The army was reportedly looking for Bacar's hiding place.

After the airport was secured the invasion force apparently split where part of it headed south-west to engage Anjouanais loyalists in the capital, Mutsumudu, and the remainder headed south-east, capturing the port of Bambao M'Sanga and the second city of Domoni without resistance.

Early reports indicated that the Bacar government had fled to the interior of the island and were in hiding. However, later uncorroborated reports from the Comoros Government on March 25 stated that Bacar had fled the island incognito to seek exile in Mayotte. There was no comment from the Bacar government but the Comoran Government spokesperson said that the invasion troops had been told to look for him and were conducting house to house searches.{{Cite news |access-date = March 25, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080331031134/http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnL2586232.html |archive-date = March 31, 2008 |url-status = dead

Aftermath

Bacar managed to escape to Mayotte by speedboat, and reports on March 26 confirmed his presence on the island and stated he had requested political asylum in France. The Associated Press reported from Paris that France was considering the request for political asylum | access-date = July 31, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090226030948/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/27/news/Comoros.php | archive-date = February 26, 2009 | url-status = live but Comoran leaders and anti-French protesters in Comoros demanded that France return Bacar to the Comoros. On March 27, Bacar was moved to the French island of Réunion, where he was charged and investigated for illegally entering French territory while carrying weapons, along with 23 of his followers. The case was rejected for procedural reasons, but Bacar and the 23 others remained in custody.

By the end of March, several prominent supporters of Bacar had been arrested, including Caabi El-Yachroutu, a former Vice-President, Prime Minister, and Interim President of Comoros. Three others were found in hiding near Domoni on March 29, including Mohamed Abdou Mmadi (a former Minister of Transport and spokesman for Bacar), Ibrahim Halidi (a former Prime Minister and advisor to Bacar), and Ahmed Abdallah Sourette (a former President of the Constitutional Court).

On April 5, Bacar was remanded in custody.{{Cite news |access-date=April 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410112236/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7331766.stm |archive-date=April 10, 2008 |url-status=live

Contrary to previous reports that France was against the invasion, France gave its approval and helped to air-lift the African Union troops to the island. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stressed on April 8 that France had not supported Bacar or provided him with any protection, and that it had fully supported African Union intervention.

On April 18, Bacar, along with 21 of his close guards, was released from prison and returned to house arrest at the Réunion military airbase. On April 23, it was announced that the French Office of Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides; OFPRA) had granted asylum to two of Bacar's men and refused asylum for six of them; those whose requests were rejected were to be sent to a third country and not returned to the Comoros due to fears of persecution. OFPRA had yet to rule on the cases of Bacar or his other men.

Bacar's asylum request was rejected on May 15. France's Secretary of State for Overseas, Yves Jégo, said France would support the Comoran Government's efforts. "We will continue to act in consultation with the Comoros so that the law can be applied and Colonel Bacar can be tried."{{Cite news | access-date =May 15, 2008

References

References

1. [[Agence France-Presse. (March 25, 2008). "African forces invade rebel Comoros island". ReliefWeb.
2. (March 14, 2008). "Comoros: Military action irreversible". [[The New Humanitarian.
3. [[Agence France-Presse. (March 27, 2008). "Bacar has asked for asylum in France". [[France 24]].
4. (March 24, 2008). "Troops head for Comoros island". [[Al Jazeera English.
5. Goujon, Emmanuel. (March 24, 2008). "AU troops move towards rebel Comoros island". [[France 24]].
6. (2008-05-15). "Rebel leader in limbo".
7. (March 27, 2008). "Anti-French protests in Comoros". [[BBC]].
8. (May 15, 2008). "Comoran rebel asylum plea refused". [[BBC News]].
9. (January 31, 2008). "Comoros: Military invasion of Anjouan imminent, government warns". [[The New Humanitarian.
10. "PA-X: Peace Agreements Database".
11. (March 11, 2008). "AU troops arrive in the Comoros". [[BBC News]].
12. (March 12, 2008). "Comoros troops capture fighters on rebel island". Polity.org.za.
13. (March 13, 2008). "'Deadly clashes' in the Comoros". [[BBC News]].
14. (March 3, 2008). "Comoros military tanker ship destroyed by fire". Polity.org.za.
15. [[Agence France-Presse. (March 15, 2008). "Comoran forces and Anjouan followers clash". [[France 24]].
16. Amir, Ahmed Ali. (March 19, 2008). "Comoros says French helicopter crashes on Anjouan". [[Reuters]].
17. (March 20, 2008). "Comoros anger over chopper crash". [[BBC News]].
18. Goujon, Emmanuel. (March 25, 2008). "Bacar's troops in Anjouan not to give up until last man standing". ReliefWeb.
19. (March 26, 2008). "African Union forces seek rebel leader". [[France 24]].
20. Delay, Jerome. (March 25, 2008). "Comoros government says it has captured the capital of a rebel-held island". [[Associated Press]] via [[LexisNexis]].
21. (March 25, 2008). "Anjouan leader flees 'dressed as woman' – gov't". [[Reuters]].
22. (March 25, 2008). "Battles on Comoros rebel island". [[BBC News]].
23. (March 25, 2008). "Comoran rebel seeks French asylum". [[BBC News]].
24. (March 27, 2008). "Anti-French protests in Comoros". [[BBC News]].
25. (March 28, 2008). "France flies rebel out of Comoros". [[BBC News]].
26. [[Agence France-Presse. (March 29, 2008). "Court dismisses case against Comoros rebel leader". via [[LexisNexis]].
27. link. (March 2, 2009 , African Press Agency, March 30, 2008.)
28. (June 2016)
29. link. (March 3, 2009 , AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 8, 2008.)
30. "Bertrand Grollier, "France Releases Comoros Rebel, to Stay on Island", Reuters (April 18, 2008 14:50:39)". Alertnet.org.
31. link. (March 3, 2009 , AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 23, 2008 {{in lang). fr.