Mozambique: SADC military kill eight rebel fighters, recover weapons in Cabo Delgado – Lusa report

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Mozambique: SADC military kill eight rebel fighters, recover weapons in Cabo Delgado – Lusa report

3:53 CAT | 29 Mar 2022

FILE PHOTO - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Lusa]

The Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) in Mozambique on Tuesday announced it had killed “about eight terrorists,” in a counter-offensive against insurgents who attacked the northern island of Matemo on March 16.

“SAMIM can however, confirm that they inflicted about eight (08) fatalities against the terrorists and recovered weapons and equipment used by the terrorists in this operation., a statement said.

ALSO READ: SAMIM supports FADM in its counter attack against terrorists in Matemo Island

The operation also resulted in serious injuries among the insurgents, the statement said.

It is believed that the terrorists were “led by one of their top leaders” and “lost ground after suffering massive casualties while others incurred serious injuries,” the statement added.

SAMIM, it continues, will always act in a professional and dignified manner in the conduct of its operations to combat armed groups in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

“In support of the Government of Mozambique, SAMIM forces continue to create the necessary conditions for the return to normal life in the province of Cabo Delgado, while pursuing the terrorists,” the press release read.

On 22 January, the public television channel Televisão de Moçambique announced that the Mozambique Defence Forces (FADM) had shot dead 20 terrorists on Matemo island.

In the action, four FADM soldiers died and two insurgents were captured.

The clashes on the island lasted three days.

During the operations, government forces seized and destroyed six boats allegedly carrying food for the insurgent groups.

Cabo Delgado province is rich in natural gas, but, terrorised since 2017, by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The conflict has led to more than 3,100 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and more than 859,000 displaced people, according to Mozambican authorities.

Since July, an offensive by government troops with support from Rwanda later joined by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has enabled an increase in security, recovering several areas where there was the presence of the rebels, which had been occupied since August 2020.

The military action of the joint forces forced the rebel groups to disperse and act in fractions, returning to sporadic attacks in areas reconquered by the Government.

Source: Lusa