Comoros president sworn in after disputed poll

MORONI, Comoros: The Comoros swore in President Azali Assoumani for his fourth term on Sunday, completing the process begun with a disputed vote in January that was followed by deadly protests.

Assoumani, a 65-year-old former military ruler turned civilian president, first came to power in a coup in 1999, before handing over to civilians in 2006.

He returned to politics and won re-election in 2016. In January, he won a vote which his opponents said was marred by fraud, but the court dismissed as inadmissible lawsuits seeking its annulment.

One person was killed and several others injured in the violence that erupted in the aftermath of the election in the country of some 870,000 people.

At his swearing-in ceremony at a partially-filled 10,000-seat stadium in the capital Moroni, Assoumani struck a conciliatory tone and pledged to work with his opponents.