Mozambique: Defence forces drive terrorists out of Matemo – AIM report

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Mozambique: Defence forces drive terrorists out of Matemo – AIM report

4:05 CAT | 11 Jan 2021

The Mozambican defence and security forces have driven a group of islamist terrorists out of the island of Matemo, off the coast of the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

According to Radio Mozambique, the terrorists attacked the island, which is part of Ibo district, on Thursday, but by Saturday the defence forces had repelled the raiders and restored order to the island.

The General Commander of the Mozambican police, Bernadino Rafael, visited Matemo on Sunday, and thanked the islanders for cooperating with the armed forces and the police. Their collaboration had played a significant role in the success of the defence and security forces.

“Thank you for telling us where they were”, said Rafael. “If we were able to attack and to shell them, it’s because the public told us ‘they’re in that house, or in that school’. Thank you very much”.

Rafael stressed “the defence and security forces can only do a good job when the public collaborates, by denouncing the location of the enemies of the Mozambican people”.

“We have the force which came in here, combed the area, made the searches, and right now, we are sure that the terrorists have left”, he added.

Rafael took the opportunity to urge young people in Cabo Delgado not to join the ranks of the terrorists, because, if they did so, “you would be destroying your own country”.

Local sources told the independent newsheet “Mediafax” that the ten raiders came from Olumboa village, in Macomia district, and reached Matemo on board a hijacked fishing boat. The terrorists seized 13 fishermen, and used three of them as guides to take them to Matemo. During the journey, one of the fishermen escaped the terrorists by jumping into the sea. He survived.

As for the fishermen held captive in Olumboa, the terrorists beheaded seven of them, One escaped, and made his way to Macomia town where he informed the authorities of the beheadings.

There are no reports of the terrorists killing anyone on Matemo, but they kidnapped four people, and looted all the islanders’ stores of food. The defence forces say they killed four of the terrorists, but another five made their escape in a stolen motor-boat.

The Ibo district authorities promised the islanders that food supplies will arrive within days, to replace what the terrorists stole.

At Rafael’s meeting, some of the public urged that the unit that drove the terrorists out should remain stationed in Matemo to deter the jihadists from coming back.

Source: AIM