Comoros attacked by men 'pursuing al-Qaida'

A mysterious band of white soldiers attacked an island in the Comoros yesterday and claimed to be American forces in pursuit of terrorists.

At least five people were killed in the fighting between government troops and the invaders who landed by speedboat on the smallest of the archipelago's three islands, Moheli. An information ministry spokesman said three of the foreign attackers had died.

The 20 masked soldiers distributed leaflets accusing the Comoran military leader, Colonel Azaly Assoumani, of links with al-Qaida. They seized the police headquarters and cut off the telephone.

Last night the government said it had regained control of Moheli after sending about 30 soldiers to the island. But the identities and motives of the invaders remained a mystery.

The Organisation of African Unity's special envoy to the Comoros, Francisco Madeira, said they were native French speakers, which discounts a US attack.

The Comoros has suffered almost one coup a year since independence in 1975, the latest just six weeks ago.