Comorans are going to vote in presidential polls Sunday. It is seen as a test of whether the poverty-stricken Indian Ocean archipelago has broken a cycle of coups and inter-island strife that has hampered development since it declared independence in 1975.

The country has experienced some 20 coup attempts since it declared independence, four of them successful, including the bloodless one in 1999, through which the incumbent President Azaly Assoumani seized power. He remained in office by winning the 2002 presidential election.

Here are several major coups that have occurred to the island nation:

Aug. 3, 1975, Ahmed Abdallah, the first Comoran president, was deposed less than one month after he took office, in a coup led by Ali Soilih and assisted by French mercenary Colonel Bob Denard.

May 13, 1978, Soilih was toppled and killed by mercenaries led by Denard, who restored Abdallah to power.

1989, Abdallah was assassinated allegedly by presidential guard under command of Denard.

1995, President Said Mohamed Djohar was removed in a coup attempt led by Denard.

1999, The incumbent President Azaly Assoumani staged a bloodless coup and seized power.

Source: Xinhua