Cabo Delgado: Civil-military confrontation kills 1, injures 2 in Xitunda, raided on the morning after – report

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Cabo Delgado: Civil-military confrontation kills 1, injures 2 in Xitunda, raided on the morning after – report

1:46 CAT | 17 Dec 2019

Photo: Social Media

One person died, and two others were injured following clashes between civilians and the Mozambican Armed Forces in Muidumbe District, Cabo Delgado Province, witnesses told Lusa on Tuesday.

The incident began around 11 a.m. on Sunday when people from the village of Chitunda [Xitunda] decided to expel a military position there, claiming that the soldiers were doing nothing to contain the armed attacks that have been taking place in the region.

Using sticks and other objects, the people forced the soldiers to leave, destroying their tents. In the confrontation, one person died and two were injured, witnesses told Lusa.

A video circulating on social media shows the moment when a group of just over 20 soldiers leaves their position at the headquarters of the Chitunda [Xitunda] administrative post, with the population shouting “they can leave” in the local language.

In the early hours of Monday morning, hours after they had expelled the soldiers, an unknown group attacked the village, burning several houses and vandalising several buildings, including a catholic chapel.

The attack on the village did not cause any deaths.

Lusa contacted the communication office of the ministry of defence of Mozambique, which said it was not informed about the incident between the population and the army.

In the Cabo Delgado region (North) attacks by armed groups have been taking place since October 2017, after years of friction between Muslims of different origins, with violence erupting in radicalised mosques.

At least 300 people have died in Cabo Delgado, according to official and population figures, and 60,000 residents have been affected, many forced to move to other locations in search of security, according to the United Nations.

Source: Lusa