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Clock ticks as Anjouan offensive lurks
2008-03-24 10:25:21
By Juma Thomas, Moheli, Comoro
The AU intervention force, which is tasked to remove rebel Anjouan leader Mohammed Bacar from power, was yesterday set to land in Anjouan at short notice.
The AU force currently comprises Tanzanian and Sudanese troops and is under the command of Tanzanian officers.
Senegalese troops, which are part of the AU contingent, are yet to arrive in Comoros for reasons that are not clear.
The AU Task Force has moved to Moheli Island, located 38 nautical kilometers from Anjouan. All the troops are now in Moheli and preparations for a major assault on Anjouan rebels have been completed.
AU task force commander, Brigadier General Daniel Igoti of Tanzania, told reporters yesterday that the Force was poised for attack and they would strike any time from now.
Asked if the task would be easy, Brigadier General Igoti said a military invasion of an island was always quite difficult, because the attackers could only reach the target area either by ship or plane, and in both cases, could be easily detected by the enemy.
``However, with the preparations that we have made, we are sure we shall accomplish our mission,`` he said.
Speaking to The Guardian, Ahmad Shafiq, who hails from Anjouan but resides in Moheli, said the AU decision to topple Mohammad Bacar was the proper approach against people who did not respect the Constitution.
The AU troops have been greeted by cheering crowds in Moheli.
African Union troops arrived in Comoros to help the federal government wrestle back control of the renegade island of Anjouan.
Tensions have been rising across the coup-prone Indian Ocean archipelago since Mohamed Bacar, self-declared leader of Anjouan island, announced his victory in an illegal election last June.
The federal government demanded he step down and was preparing to invade.
The AU slapped sanctions on Bacar and his allies in October, then decided to send troops to topple his regime.
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