Invasion of Anjouan Begins

Date: March 25, 2008 • Location: Lingoni, Comoros

Invasion of Anjouan began as Comoros and African Union forces launched an assault to remove Mohamed Bacar from power in Anjouan.

The invasion of Anjouan, on March 25, 2008, was an amphibious assault led by the Comoros, backed by African Union (AU) forces, including troops from Sudan, Tanzania, Senegal, along with logistical support from Libya, France and the United States. The objective of the invasion was to topple Colonel Mohamed Bacar's leadership in Anjouan, an island in the Union of Comoros, when he refused to step down after a disputed 2007 election, in defiance of the federal government and the AU. The Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean has had a fractious history since its independence from France in 1975, experiencing more than 20 coups or attempted coups.