Mozambique: Gunmen attack bus in Manica

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Mozambique: Gunmen attack bus in Manica

11:26 CAT | 29 Jun 2020

Photo: O País

Gunmen murdered one person and injured four others in an ambush against a bus on Sunday morning in the central Mozambican province of Manica.

The attack occurred at the Arco-Iris area, a few kilometres from the Inchope crossroads, where the main north-south highway (ENI) crosses the road from Beira to Zimbabwe. The gunmen opened fire on a bus heading southwards on EN1. It had started its journey in the northern city of Nampula, and was heading towards Maputo.

The person killed was an 11 year old boy. He died of his injuries as he was being taken to the nearest health unit for treatment. The four injured passengers were initially treated at the Gondola District Hospital. In three cases, their injuries were so serious that they were transferred to the provincial hospital in the city of Chimoio.

Initially, the police made no comment on the attack, but promised to speak about it on Monday during the weekly press conference given by the Manica provincial police command.

It is believed that the ambush was the work of the self-styled “Renamo Military Junta”. This is a dissident faction that broke away from Mozambique’s main opposition party, Renamo, in mid-2019. It calls Renamo leader Ossufo Momade a traitor, and does not recognize the peace agreement he signed with President Filipe Nyusi last August.

The Junta claims that its leader, Mariano Nhongo, is the true President of Renamo, and demands that the government negotiate with him.

The Junta has staged sporadic, but murderous, ambushes on the main roads in Manica and the neighbouring province of Sofala for the last nine months or so.

Source: AIM