Jaime Neto and the supposed capture of Mariano Nyongo: “We are working” – MediaFax

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Jaime Neto and the supposed capture of Mariano Nyongo: “We are working” – MediaFax

4:13 CAT | 21 Jan 2021

FILE PHOTO - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Maria Celeste Mac Arthur/AFP] '

Minister of National Defence Jaime Neto, preferred to leave vague any information about the possible capture, in the last few days, of Mariano Nhongo, leader of the self-proclaimed Renamo Military Junta.

Speaking to journalists after the inauguration of the Chief and Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Defence of Mozambique (FADM), Neto preferred to say only that the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) were working at full throttle to hunt down and capture Mariano Nyongo and his followers.

“There is work being done – the work of persecution up until capture. So, wait for news, because the FDS is doing its job,” Neto said, declining to confirm whether Nyongo was or was not in custody.

Rumours of Mariano Nyongo’s capture began circulating on Tuesday, but no official entity has come forward to confirm the occurrence, nor are there any images of the moment of capture or of Nyongo in custody.

Regarding military options, taking into account President Nyusi’s ultimatum for Mariano Nyongo to hand himself in “before it’s too late”, Neto said that Nhongo’s refusal to surrender left the Defence and Security Forces no choice but to hunt him down and capture him.

“If you remember, the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the FDS invited Nyongo to withdraw and re-join his family, by way of the demilitarisation, demobilisation and reintegration process. But he refused. In such a case, we have no recourse but to pursue him until we capture him,” the Minister of National Defence said, noting that Defence and Security Forces operations in the central region had been quite positive recently, as was also the case in Cabo Delgado.