Cabo Delgado: Government neutralises “several elements” of armed groups

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Cabo Delgado: Government neutralises “several elements” of armed groups

3:16 CAT | 04 Nov 2019

FILE: For illustration purposes only. Attack on the village of de Mucojo, Macomia district, Cabo Delgado (2018). [File photo: DW]

The Mozambican Ministry of Defence announced on Friday the neutralisation, as a result of operations in Mocímboa da Praia, of several elements involved in armed attacks in Cabo Delgado, in the north of the country.

“During the operation, several wrongdoers were neutralised and others fled,” a Mozambique Ministry of Defence press release distributed on Friday (01-11) reads.

According to the document, the”artillery blows” on the armed groups occurred on Thursday and Friday in Muidumbe and Marrere, at the mouth of the Messalo River, Mocimboa da Praia district, Cabo Delgado province.

“Operations continue, and Defence and Security Forces continue to hunt down the fugitive insurgents,” the document adds, without further detail.

Mosambik Mocímboa da Praia — *Mocimboa da Praia*

Latest attacks

A police source told Lusa news agency on Friday that, the previous Sunday, armed groups had launched an attack on vehicle carrying military personnel in the Mbau region, leaving at least four Mozambican forces personnel dead.

The Cabo Delgado region has been the site of armed attacks carried out by groups supposedly originating in the region’s mosques, starting in Mocímboa da Praia in October 2017.

At least 250 people have died as a result, almost all in isolated villages and during clashes in the bush. Violence has also hit transport on the region’s main asphalt road, as well as the area of gas exploration megaprojects, which have several Portuguese subcontractors.

The jihadist Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks since June, but officials and analysts think it unlikely that there any genuine involvement by the terrorist group beyond summary contact with elements on the ground.

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Map: Mozambique attacks October 2019.
Also indicated Russian involvement in incidents where verification is possible – references to bombings and shelling not include – simply do not suffice to be listed as this point pic.twitter.com/cOnqbM0vFO

— Jasmine Opperman (@Jasminechic00) November 4, 2019