Cabo Delgado: Panic as alleged insurgents pass through machambas

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Cabo Delgado: Panic as alleged insurgents pass through machambas

2:35 CAT | 12 Jun 2024

Image: MapCarta

Members of Intutupue community in Cabo Delgado province were yesterday thrown into confusion by the alleged passage of groups of insurgents through areas of agricultural production (machambas) in the early hours of the morning.

At around 5:00 a.m., a group of farmers became aware of the presence of hooded individuals, some wielding firearms, near the Megaruma River, bordering the district of Chiúre.

This is what members of the local population told the Lusa news agency in the district of Ancuabe. “It happened today. My uncle was harvesting, but he came back, he was alerted,” one source said, speaking from the village of Sunate.

In addition to Intutupue, sources also reported the movement of alleged insurgents in the forests of Quissanga district on Tuesday morning.

“What is certain is that we are in a panic,” a member of the public said, speaking from Metuge.

People fear hunger

The reported movement of the insurgents in the districts of Ancuabe and Quissanga comes just as the peasant population is harvesting their production fields.

“This could cause hunger among residents, especially those returning from war, who are trying to get back on their feet,” a source speculated.

Since October 2017, the Cabo Delgado region has faced an armed rebellion with attacks claimed by movements associated with the extremist group Islamic State.

The last major attack took place on May 10 and 11, on the district headquarters of Macomia, with around a hundred insurgents looting the town, causing several deaths and heavy fighting with the Mozambique Defence and Security Forces.

Source: Lusa