Comoros

Union of the Comoros

This island nation off the eastern coast of Africa is officially known as the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores). The islands were first colonized by Arab merchants and slave traders, who introduced Islam and Arabic culture to the wide mixture of indigenous African societies then inhabiting the islands. By 1506 the Portuguese began to vie for control of the islands, which was successful in part. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Comoros were the target of numerous raids by pirates and raiders from Malagasy, who eventually achieved control over much of the region. In 1841, however France signed a treaty with the Malagasy monarch which established the islands as part of the French colonial empire. In July of 1975 the Comorian parliament passed a unilateral resolution declaring independence of the Comorian State.

The next thirty years were a period of political turmoil, with the islands experiencing more than 20 coups or attempted coups. They started with an armed coup d'etat led by mercenary Robert Denard in August 1975 which removed the legitimate president from office and replaced him with United National Front of the Comoros (UNF) member Prince Said Mohammed Jaffar. A few months later he was ousted in favor of the Minister of Defence Ali Soilih. In May 1978, Denard returned with another band of mercenaries to lead a second coup and reinstate Abdallah as ruler. An authoritarian with a belief in the strict adherence to Islamic law, Abdallah renamed the country the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros, and in 1989 ordered the Presidential Guard (under Denard) to disarm the armed forces. Shortly thereafter he was assassinated by a member of the military.

Following Abdallah's death, Said Mohamed Djohar (Ali Solih's brother) became president, serving until September 1995, when Bob Denard returned again to attempt another coup. He was forced to surrender after the intervention of French military personnel.

The islands of Anjouan and Mohéli declared their independence from the Comoros in 1997 which sparked confrontations between federal troops and rebels. The insurrection was quelled, but in 1999 Army Chief of Staff Colonel Azali Assoumani siezed power from an interim president, but was unable to reestablish control over the entire country. The official name was changed to the Union of the Comoros and Azali stepped down in 2002 to run in the democratic election of the President of the Comoros, which he won. He was succeeded in 2006 by Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, a Sunni Muslim cleric.

Since 1997, the Armée Nationale de Développement (AND) or Army of National Development has been responsible for the defense of the country. Fairly small in size, the AND consists of a small standing Army, a (Gendarmerie Nationale) of about 500 personnel, and small Defence Force also of about 500 personnel, the Presidential Guard, Military Health Services, and the Coast Guard.

Camouflage Patterns of Comoros

• During the 1990s, members of the Army and Defense Force wore a copy of the French lizard pattern made in China. These uniforms were also worn by the mercenary forces during the attempted coup d'etat in 1996.

• A more accurate copy of French tenue de leópard lizard was introduced to the AND in the early 2000s and appears to have continued to circulate for at least ten years.

• From the mid 2000s, some units of the AND adopted a DPM pattern very similar to that worn by Tanzania. Use of this pattern continued until around mid-2019.

• Also in the early to mid 2000s, members of the Defence Force were issued copies of the French tenue de leópard lizard camouflage design very similar to (if not the same as) that worn during the same time frame by the Moroccan Armed Forces. Use of this design has continued among some personnel into the present time period.

• A variation of US woodland pattern has been worn sporadically by the AND since around 2020.

• Also in use with the general armed forces is a copy of the French CE Woodland pattern. Copies of this pattern appear to be favored by officers and can be found interspersed with other camouflage designs in all branches of the AND.

• Certain personnel of the AND have appeared in public formations wearing a copy of the US six color "chocolate chip" pattern.

• Dating to at least late 2018, the Gendarmerie Nationale has been issued an operational uniform with a blue-dominant color palette, also incorporating drawings with elements of both woodland and leaf patterns. This design remains current in 2024.

• Since at least 2019, personnel of the Army and Coast Guard have been issued a kind of woodland-leaf hybrid pattern featuring a bright color palette, seen here.

• The Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale (GIPN) or National Police Intervention Group has been observed wearing a unique arid camouflage design since at least 2021.