Bus attack injures two in Sofala, central Mozambique

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Bus attack injures two in Sofala, central Mozambique

11:46 CAT | 31 Aug 2020

[File photo: Lusa]

A Correios de Moçambique [Mozambique Post-Office] passenger bus came under fire from an armed group early on Sunday, August 30, injuring both drivers, eye witnesses have told VOA.

The bus was hit by a “burst of bullets” along its right-hand side near the Ripembe River on the Muxúnguè-Rio Save section of National Road Number One (EN1) in Sofala.

This section of the EN1, Mozambique’s main highway, has a history of attacks on civilian and military vehicles in the 2012-2016 conflict between the government and Renamo.

“It was after 17:00 local time, when we saw bullets, which looked like burning coals, hitting the windshield and the right side [of the bus],” passenger Ester Lucas related.

There were no injuries to passengers, he said, but: “The drivers suffered. One was hit by bullets in both legs.”

One of the crew told private broadcaster STV that the bullet went through the driver’s thigh and lodged in his other leg, but he was still able to steer the vehicle to safety.

Sofala police have yet to comment on the new incident.

The Defence and Security Forces started to maintain a military position on the Ripembe River, after the truce in the political-military conflict in 2016.

This is the first attack on the Save-Muxúnguè section since the resumption of ambushes on the roads of central Mozambique, which the authorities attribute to the self-proclaimed ‘Military Junta’ Renamo splinter group.

Source: VOA Portugues