Mozambique: Insurgents on the move in district in Cabo Delgado – official

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Insurgents on the move in district in Cabo Delgado – official

11:22 CAT | 25 Jan 2024

Image: Google Maps

The district administrator of Quissanga, in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, Sidónio Lindo José, confirmed on Wednesday that groups of terrorists are circulating in the communities closest to the district headquarters, but he hopes for a return to normality.

The administrator said he had met this Wednesday morning with the leaders of the three villages where terrorists have been present since Sunday, which precipitated the flight of residents, with Mussomero being the closest village to the district headquarters, six kilometres away.

“We’ve talked to the leaders, the people who had gone into hiding have returned, trade is flowing and we’ve been interacting with the local leaders to calm down the residents,” said Sidónio Lindo José.

“The headquarters is in the best condition so far, the public is calm and peaceful,” he added.

The leader guaranteed that the passage of the terrorists through the three villages did not cause any human or material damage.

“They didn’t harm any members of the public, they just passed through the communities we’ve just mentioned and continued on to the bridge over the river Montepuez. We had no news of the route they took last night [Tuesday],” he concluded.

Dozens of inhabitants in villages in the district of Quissanga, in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, have fled in the face of the proximity of terrorist groups since Sunday, local sources told Lusa today.

A local source told Lusa on Wednesday morning that on Tuesday night an alleged terrorist group with 28 members passed by the headquarters of the Mahate administrative post, the second most important in the district, causing dozens of residents to flee into the woods and neighbouring districts.

READ: Mozambique: Terrorists take control of Mucojo – AIM report

“We didn’t have a good morning in Quissanga. From yesterday[Tuesday] to today [Wednesday] the terrorists have been circulating, at least 28 of them have passed near Mahate, some armed, others not, but we panicked,” said one resident, who also slept in the forests of Quissanga and who arrived in the district headquarters of Metuge this [Wednesday] morning.

He also explained that, because of the escape, his 17-year-old brother is in an uncertain place, uncontactable, increasing his apprehension and describing the last night as difficult, with almost no sleep in the woods.

Another source said that the terrorist groups are in retreat due to the incursions by the Defence and Security Forces in the Macomia, Meluco and Quissanga perimeters, and the escape could be an attempt to reach the Muidumbe district.

“If it weren’t for fear of the Defence and Security Forces, they could even kill the populace, but they don’t, and there are no reports of looting of property. It’s a sign that they’re afraid, they’re just looking for a place to hide,” said the source, from the Quissanga district headquarters.
On Sunday night, at around 19:00 (17:00 Lisbon time), the terrorists spent the night in the village of Missone, forcing some people to flee into the woods for fear of further attacks.

“They spent the night in Missone, ate and didn’t harm anyone. They say they’re there to protect the residents, but that’s doubtful,” lamented another source, from the Quissanga district headquarters.

People from Mucojo also told Lusa on Monday that the administrative post has been controlled by a group of terrorists since Sunday.

READ: Mozambique: Locals flee into woods after insurgents appear

Cabo Delgado province has been facing an armed insurgency for six years, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State, which has led to a military response since July 2021, with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects.

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