President Ahmed Abdullah of the Comoros Islands, was earlier thought to have been assassinated by "disgruntled" Major Ahmed Mohamed, on 26 November 1989. Ahmed Mohamed is said to have made enemies with top members of the Comoros hierarchy for publicly opposing the presence of mercenaries who brought Ahmed Abdullah to power in 1978 and for having connections with opposition groups. ["Comoros Officer in President's Death Opposed Mercenaries", Reuters (News service) 27 November 1989.]

The opposition had accused the president of rigging the vote in the referendum of 5 November 1989. According to the government figures, 92.5% of the voters approved the constitutional amendment which allowed Ahmed Abdullah to extend his presidency for a third six-year term [Reuters 27 November 1989.]. For information regarding the nature and extent of opposition and discontent in the Comoros Islands, please see the attached report from the BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 15 November 1989 and 8 November 1989. For background information on Ahmed Mohammed, please refer to the attached Reuters report of 27 November 1989.

Many islanders and the Organization for African Unity (OAU) accuse Bob Denard of assassinating the president [Reuters 5 December 1989, AM cycle.] reportedly because Abdullah had sought aid from France to expel Denard and 20 to 30 of his French mercenaries. [Reuters 4 December 1989, PM cycle.] This information is corroborated by reports from the attached The Ottawa Citizen, 5 December 1989.

Immediately following the fatal attack on the presidential palace, members of the opposition were arrested, fighting in the street had calmed down and the government was still in control. [Reuters 27 November 1989.] Communications with Comoros were virtually cut, stores were closed and officials had reportedly declared a 3-day work stoppage. [Reuters 27 November 1989, AM cycle.]

The French broadcast from Mayotte, the only Comoros island still ruled by France, reports that Abdullah had a 500 strong presidential bodyguard which was commanded by about 20 European mercenaries with close ties to France and South Africa. [Reuters 27 November 1989, PM cycle.] The presidential guard is headed by Bob Denard, a French mercenary, who helped bring Abdullah to power in 1978. [Reuters 29 November 1989, PM cycle.]

On 29 November 1989 the mercenary-led presidential guard took control of the Comoros Islands and disarmed the army, [Reuters 29 November 1989, PM cycle.] posting men from the presidential guard in front of army barracks. [Reuters 30 November 1989, AM cycle.]

Accusations by some islanders regarding the financial support that South Africa has been supplying the mercenaries, both in salaries, equipment and training, has finally been admitted by the South African government. ["Foreign Legion Ready For Comoros Invasion", The Ottawa Citizen, 5 December 1989.] However, the South African government, in an attempt to distance itself from its role as paymaster to the mercenaries, is suspending all aid to the Comoros. Reportedly, this, along with the promise of money and asylum, has as yet not helped in dislodging Bob Denard and his European mercenaries. [Reuters 5 December 1989, AM cycle.] The French however, are reportedly preparing 800 members of the French Legion to invade the Comoros Islands. [The Ottawa Citizen, 5 December 1989.]

Attached please find the following articles:

Reuters new releases from 24 November 1989 to 5 December 1989.

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts from 8 November 1989 to 4 December 1989.

"President of Comoros is Assassinated", The New York Times, 28 November 1989.