Mozambique: Army shoots two top insurgent commanders

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Army shoots two top insurgent commanders

1:05 CAT | 23 Aug 2023

It adds that at 08:30 local time (07:30) on Tuesday, "in this ongoing exercise to combat terrorists, an FADM Motorised Unit that was part of a military column heading for Quiterajo" fell "into an enemy ambush and overturned" on a "pontoon boat", which then caught fire, but "the occupants were unharmed". [Image: RM]

The Armed Defence Forces of Mozambique (FADM) announced on Wednesday that they had shot two important members of the terrorist structure operating in Cabo Delgado, including Abu Kital, “deputy commander of operations” of the Ahlu-Sunnah wal Jama’a (ASWJ) group.

In a statement, the General Staff of the Armed Forces said that “as a result of the ongoing operations to combat terrorist actions” that they are carrying out in Cabo Delgado province, together with “friendly forces”, the terrorist Abu Kital, who “held the position of deputy commander of the operations of the ASWJ group terrorists, and “deputy to Ibin Omar, also known as Abu Suraka” was “taken down”.

The ASWJ group operates with the support of the Islamic State in the province of Cabo Delgado with the assumed aim of creating an Islamic state in the north of the country, where it has attacked populations and security forces, namely in the districts of Mocímboa da Praia, Palma and Macomia.

“In the same operation, the terrorist Ali Mahando, who, like Abu Kital, held important positions within the terrorist group, was put out of action,” the statement said.

It adds that at 08:30 local time (07:30) on Tuesday, “in this ongoing exercise to combat terrorists, an FADM Motorised Unit that was part of a military column heading for Quiterajo” fell “into an enemy ambush and overturned” on a “pontoon boat”, which then caught fire, but “the occupants were unharmed”.

“The Mozambican Armed Defence Forces continue to be active in the security and defence of Mozambique and Mozambicans. However, at the moment, they are gathering more information about other movements of other members, which will be made available in due course,” the statement said.

Cabo Delgado province has been facing an armed insurgency for almost six years, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged in the south of the region and in neighbouring Nampula province.

The conflict has already displaced one million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and caused around 4,000 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.

Source: Lusa