Two soldiers die in Comoros island takeover

MORONI, May 4 (Reuters) Two soldiers died as local forces overran national troops to take control of the second largest of the Comoros islands, which have seen 19 successful or attempted coups since independence in 1975, authorities said today.

Clashes began on Wednesday when police loyal to the outgoing president of Anjouan island -- who is refusing to step down -- attacked national soldiers who had taken over official buildings to install an interim replacement mandated by a court.

As local forces got the upper hand to keep Mohamed Bacar in power, the two soldiers died late yesterday trying to flee near Mromhuli village, Information Minister Mmadi Ali said.

''They were attacked while they were trying to escape by boat to Grande Comore island,'' he told Reuters.

The power struggle on Anjouan has highlighted deep rivalries on the Indian Ocean archipelago, whose three main islands share a rotating national presidency but retain autonomy through local leadership under the terms of a 2001 peace deal.

The latest trouble began when Comoros' constitutional court said last week that Bacar's five-year term had expired, and ordered him to step down ahead of June elections. He declined.

Witnesses on Anjouan told Reuters today that after two days of fighting, Bacar had regained complete control of the island, and his police had confiscated the arms and vehicles of a small government army contingent of about 30 soldiers.

''Last night, police forces were driving round armed to the teeth,'' local photographer Salim Miterand said from Anjouan capital's Mutsamudu. ''President Bacar wants to show the population he has won the battle.'' The shooting of previous days had subsided, but Anjouan locals were braced for more, as the national government considered sending reinforcements, inhabitants said.

''CLIMATE OF TERROR'' ''Mohamed Bacar risks plunging Anjouan into civil war,'' government spokesman Abourahim Said Bacar said. ''The government is deeply worried at the climate of terror he has imposed.'' The spokesman said the house of national President Ahmed Abdullah Mohamed Sambi, who hails from Anjouan, had been ransacked by police there. Anjouan's port and airport remained closed, while phone lines to local officials were cut.

In a further sign of widening instability across Comoros, national military head Said Hamza was deposed this week by his own officers, apparently for supporting Bacar, officials said.

The African Union condemned Anjouan police for ''seriously threatening the unity and national sovereignty of the Comoros''.

First settled by Arab seafarers 1,000 years ago, and later a haven for pirates pillaging ships in the Indian Ocean, the rocky Comoros islands were annexed by France in 1904.

Since 1975, Comoros has been infamous for coups and coup attempts -- four aided by French mercenary Bob Denard. In one, he and accomplices ''invaded'' at night on inflatable boats.

With a population of 670,000, the Comoros used to rely on exports of vanilla, cloves and ylang ylang oil. But a slump in these commodities has left it increasingly dependent on remittances from abroad and donor aid.

Even amid this week's chaos, some tourists continued sight-seeing in Anjouan, locals said. ''I've seen tourists going round town without realising the dramatic events taking place around them,'' said journalist Mohamed Said.

REUTERS KK KN1752