Communitis flee from Quissanga attacks – AIM report

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Communitis flee from Quissanga attacks – AIM report

8:10 CAT | 04 Feb 2020

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

After the Wednesday attack by islamist insurgents against Bilibiza, in Quissanga district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, entire communities are fleeing, according to sources cited by the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

No fatalities were reported from Bilibiza, possibly because the residents knew that the terrorists were advancing towards the small town, after attacks earlier in the day against nearby villages.

A large number of houses were burnt down, and schools and public services also came under attack, including the Bilibiza Agricultural Institute, which is managed by the Aga Khan Foundation. This Institute is the only technical school of secondary level in the province, attended by about 400 pupils. They were not present when the insurgents attacked, because January falls within school holidays.

The Institute forms part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), under an agreement signed with the Mozambican government in 2014.

The Quissanga district administrator, Bartolomeu Muibo, cited in Friday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, admitted there had been attacks, but said he could not give details because the district government is still carrying out an exhaustive survey of the damage caused.

“Yes, it happened, but right now I cannot say exactly what was burnt down”, said Muibo. “There are human victims to mourn, but I don’t have the numbers”.

The “Noticias” report says the terrorists attacked nine villages in Quissanga over the past week.

Last Saturday and Sunday they raided the locality of Cajembe, burning down over 30 houses, then moving on to cause similar destruction in Namuluco and Nancaramo villages.

On Wednesday, they entered the 19th October village, where they burnt down over 40 houses. This village is at the crossroads between National Highway 306, which links the provincial capital, Pemba, to the northern districts of Cabo Delgado, and the road leading to the Quissanga district capital.

The terrorists moved on from 19th October to the neighbouring village of Ntessa, and then, at about 17.00, to the headquarters of the Bilibiza administrative post. They stayed in Bilibiza until the early hours of Thursday morning.

Bilibia is only 60 kilometres north of Pemba. This is the furthest south that the insurgents have yet struck. Most of their earlier raids have been in the northern districts of Cabo Delgado, such as Mocimboa da Praia, Macomia, Palma, Nangade and Muidumbe.

Source: AIM