Africa’s most infamous soldier for hire and his armed band surrendered Thursday to French troops who reversed his third coup in the Comoros Islands. The takeover of the impoverished islands off Africa’s east coast failed after France, the former colonial power, sent troops to wrest power from Frenchman Bob Denard on Wednesday. Denard was the first to walk out Thursday from the military barracks that he, two dozen mercenaries and 300 rebel Comorian soldiers had used as a base since deposing the Comorian president one week ago. He was given a full body search by two French commandos wearing body armor and carrying submachine guns. The commandos, one firmly holding Denard’s right bicep, escorted the hobbling 66-year-old mercenary to a waiting car.
