An overnight curfew has been imposed in the Indian Ocean country, Comoros after destructive protests against President Azali Assoumani’s re-election rocked the archipelago, according to a statement by the interior ministry said.
Assoumani had won a five-year term for the fourth time after the country’s electoral body announced him the winner of Sunday’s election against five opponents on Tuesday.
Army officials had shot tear gas to chase protesters in the streets of the capital, Moroni on Wednesday, while demonstrators remained on the streets in the north of the capital in the early hours of Thursday.
The interior ministry had made this announcement regarding the curfew on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a Comorian government spokesperson had blamed supporters of losing candidates for the protests.
According to the government official, several demonstrators had already been arrested.
Assoumani’s opponents have said the election was tainted by voter fraud, saying there were instances of ballot stuffing and of voting ending before the official closing time. The government has denied those accusations.
Assoumani has governed Comoros since first coming into power through a coup in 1999.
He gathered 62.97% of the vote in the latest election, according to the national electoral commission.
The United Nations High Commissioner –UNHC, for Human Rights has meanwhile called for calm and begged authorities to practice restraint in the wake of protests.
