Mozambique: At least 30 insurgent leaders killed since 2017 – police

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Mozambique: At least 30 insurgent leaders killed since 2017 – police

1:42 CAT | 31 Aug 2023

The commander-general of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (Bernardino Rafael, was speaking during a visit to Gaza province, in southern Mozambique, earlier this week. [Photo: Comando Geral da PRM]

At least 30 leaders of the insurgent groups that carry out armed attacks in Cabo Delgado have been killed, said the commander-general of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique, Bernardino Rafael, referring to the conflict that has been affecting that province since 2017.

“Of those terrorists known as leaders, the Defence and Security Forces have killed 30,” 10 of whom are from Tanzania, a country that borders Cabo Delgado, said the commander-general of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) Bernardino Rafael, during a visit to Gaza province, in southern Mozambique, this week.

The number of dead leaders of the armed groups could be “much higher” than announced, warned Bernardino Rafael, referring to those who die at their bases due to injuries sustained during the clashes.

According to the head of the Mozambican police, in addition to the dead, there are also leaders of the armed groups who are wounded and who, for this reason, “are at their bases and are not operational”.

“It’s a reality, and the operations continue. We are carrying out the commander-in-chief’s order to pursue the leadership in order to weaken the enemy,” the police commander-general said.

The president of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, said on Friday in Maputo that the “leader of the terrorists” in the country, Bonomade Machude Omar, has been “put out of action”, but warned that the fight against terrorism continues.

Since 2017, the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, rich in natural gas, has been terrorised by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near the gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged to the south of the region and in neighbouring Nampula province.

The conflict has already displaced one million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and caused around 4,000 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.

Source: Lusa