PARIS, March 27, 2008 (AFP) - French military officials are to fly the ousted rebel leader of the Comoros island of Anjouan, Mohamed Bacar, to Reunion, the French defence ministry said Thursday.

Bacar was being held at the main airport on the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, where he escaped after he was driven out of Anjouan by Comoran and African Union troops on Tuesday.

Defence ministry spokesman Laurent Teisseire said the prefect of Reunion had agreed to take in Bacar and had asked French military officials to transfer him to the island.

'The local authorities consider that it would be best if Mr Bacar and the people accompanying him were not staying in Mayotte given the presence of a large number of people from Anjouan,' said Teisseire.

Comoran exiles staged angry demonstrations against Bacar's presence in Mayotte.

France is examining a request from Bacar for political asylum, said the French minister for overseas territories Yves Jego.