France accuses Comoros of 'clandestine plot' to occupy cyclone-hit Mayotte using migrants

Struggling to deal with the aftermath of Cyclone Chido in Mayotte, France spared time to point a finger at Comoros, saying the small Indian Ocean nation was the source of illegal immigration troubling the French department.

After landing in Mayotte on Monday, France's interior minister said Paris would adopt stronger measures to stop migrant boats sailing from Comoros.

Bruno Retailleau accused Moroni of deliberately encouraging immigration, calling it a clandestine policy to fill the French department with Comorians for occupation purposes.

His remarks elicited a sharp rebuke from Comoros, with an advisor to President Azzali Assoumani calling them inapproriate.

Comoros and France have for years rowed over illegal immigration. Last year, Paris deployed security forces to Mayotte to expel what it called illegal Comorian migrants. Comoros refused to receive the deportees.

Mayotte, which lies about 70km from Comoros is France's poorest department with around 80 percent of the population living beneath the poverty line