The attack occurred around 2pm local time yesterday in Salimani Itsandra, a town just north of the capital Moroni

“The president is doing well. He has no health problems, he is out of danger. A few stitches were given,” energy minister Aboubacar Saïd Anli said at a press conference in Moroni today.

Assoumani was attacked as he attended a funeral, according to the presidency.

The motive for the attack has not yet been determined

The attacker, Ahmed Abdou, went on leave on Wednesday before orchestrating the attack yesterday.

Abdou was placed in a cell after he was taken into custody.

However, “this morning, when investigators went to see him, they found him lying on the ground, his body was lifeless”, Ali Mohamed Djounaid, Comoros’ public prosecutor, said at a separate press conference.

He added that an investigation was being conducted to determine the motive of the attack and the cause of his death.

In May, Assoumani was sworn in for a fourth term in office following a tense January election which his opponents claim was tainted by voter fraud.

Officials deny the allegations.