INTERVIEW-Comoros military ready to attack rebel island

By Ed Harris

FOMBONI, Comoros, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Comorian government troops have completed their preparations for an assault on the rebel island of Anjouan, the Indian Ocean archipelago's top military officer said on Saturday.

"What we need now is the green light from our president," Lieutenant Colonel Salimou Mohamed Amiri told Reuters on Moheli island, where hundreds of troops have gathered in anticipation of crossing the water for an attack on Anjouan.

Politically fragile with a long history of coups and inter-island frictions, Comoros' latest political standoff began in June when Anjouan's self-declared leader, Mohamed Bacar, claimed victory in an illegal local election.

Salimou said the forthcoming assault was essential for the unity of Comoros' three islands. A fourth island, Mayotte, voted to stay with France when independence came in 1975.

"Mayotte is somehow gone. We cannot let Anjouan go its own way, this would be very, very dangerous," he said, speaking at a hotel on the island's capital, Fomboni.

"It would be like a ticket for any separatist. They will know for sure they just have to have weapons, militia, and they can separate."

Salimou said the role of the Anjouanais population would be critical, but said unlike during a failed assault on the island in 1997, this time they did not support their local leader or the idea of independence.

"I hope the people of Anjouan will understand us and help us so that we can minimise the casualties," Salimou said, adding he was confident of victory.

"We know almost 100 percent that we will defeat him (Bacar)."

Salimou said he was ready to attack with or without promised military aid and troops from Sudan, Senegal, Libya and Tanzania. But he said their presence would also minimise the risks.

"We know that if there are foreign troops, probably Mohamed Bacar will not even try to resist," Salimou said.

Sudan and Senegal are expected to provide 600 and 150 troops respectively. Tanzania already has 200 troops in Comoros to assist with an African Union election monitoring mission, and Libya is set to provide logistical support, Salimou said.

The military head said he did not know of any concrete arrival dates for the foreign troops. He also declined to say where the pilots of two recently delivered Ukrainian helicopters were from, or how many troops he had at his disposal.

"What I can tell you is that we have enough troops for this mission," he said.

"I don't see so many obstacles, maybe some guerrilla-type actions but I don't think it will last long."

Salimou said Anjouan's Bacar has around 800 troops, but most of these are militia forces. "They are not professional, they are not proficient," he said.

"It is probably only his VIP protection unit which is only around one company, around 130 people who would fight."

From Comoros' largest island, Grande Comore, Salimou has received military training in France, Senegal, the United States, and China.

He said he had trained with Mohamed Bacar in 1985.

"He is a good friend of mine, but he has chosen his path and me, I am in favour of the union (of Comoros)," he said. (Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Mary Gabriel)