Mozambique: Government forces announce “maximisation” of overt patrolling in Cabo Delgado

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Mozambique: Government forces announce “maximisation” of overt patrolling in Cabo Delgado

3:35 CAT | 19 Aug 2020

File photo: Lusa

The Mozambican Defence and Security Forces today announced the “maximisation of ostensive patrol actions” to combat and capture “terrorists” who have been carrying out armed attacks in the province of Cabo Delgado.

According to a press release on the activities of the General Command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique last week, the FDS indicate that they are “keeping active” their “operational devices” in the northern province, to counter and prevent incursions by armed groups.

The note does not provide details on the operations, only stressing that the FDS will “maximise ostensive patrolling actions, [to] combat and pursue the terrorists”.

In the past week, insurgents have carried out successive attacks on the villages of Anga, Buji, Auasse, and the town of Mocímboa da Praia. According to the Ministry of Defence, at least 59 “terrorists” have died in operations carried out in response by the government forces.

On Wednesday, armed groups invaded the port of Mocímboa da Praia. The clashes left an unknown number of dead, including members of government forces, according to information advanced to Lusa by an army source.

Infrastructure was vandalised, and lines of communication with Mocímboa da Praiaare are still down.

On Thursday, Mozambican Defence Minister Jaime Neto said that armed groups were infiltrating communities and leading attacks on the town from the port facilities.

Mocímboa da Praia is one of the main towns in the province, located 70 kilometres south of the natural gas projects conducted by a consortium led by Total.

The town was previously invaded and occupied, for one day, on March 23, in an action later claimed by the Islamic State ‘jihadist’ group, and was the scene of prolonged clashes between government forces and insurgents on June 27 and 28.

Armed violence in the province has already killed at least 1,059 people in nearly three years, as well as destroying much infrastructure. According to the United Nations, insecurity in the north of the province has displaced some 250,000 people.

In addition to Cabo Delgado, the note from the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces indicates that actions are also underway to capture guerrillas from the self-proclaimed Military Junta of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), a dissident group from the main opposition party accused by the authorities of carrying out armed attacks on roads and settlements in central Mozambique.

The attacks attributed to the Renamo Military Junta have already killed at least 25 people since August 2019.

Source: Lusa