Comoros starts to free Mutsamudu city centre, army heads towards Anjouan

The Comoros army on Saturday started an operation to disperse armed rebels who had taken control of Mutsamudu city centre on the island of Anjouan earlier this week, a government minister said.

"The army has started to take up positions inside the medina (old city centre), no shots have been fired. The forces are content to secure the medina so that the population can move freely," said Mahamoud Salim Hafi, who has led the government response to the uprising.