Mozambique: One killed and seven trucks destroyed in Manica attack – AIM report

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Mozambique: One killed and seven trucks destroyed in Manica attack – AIM report

8:07 CAT | 08 Apr 2020

Photo: O País

Armed men, believed to be members of the self-styled “Renamo Military Junta”, on Monday attacked the camp of a timber company in the central Mozambican province of Manica, where they killed one person and destroyed seven heavy trucks.

The attack began at about 05.00 in the Chambuca area, of the Dombe administrative post, in Sussundenga district.

The head of the Dombe post, Tomas Razao, confirmed the attack on Tuesday morning in a phone contact with AIM.

“They arrived at about 05.00 in the morning, and they stayed there until after sunrise”, said Razao. “They killed one person, and set fire to seven heavy goods vehicles used to carry timber. They also stole a lot of goods”.

Local people fled into the bush, he added, but when units of the defence and security forces arrived “it was possible to restore order in the region. Currently our forces are in pursuit of the armed men in order to neutralize them”.

Razao said the authorities worked to persuade local residents to return to their homes, and by the end of Monday, “many families were back in their houses”.

He had no doubt that the attack was the work of the Renamo Military Junta, a breakaway from the main opposition party, Renamo, led by Mariano Nhongo. Nhongo dismisses Renamo leader Ossufo Momade as “a traitor”, and rejects the peace agreement that Momade signed with President Filipe Nyusi last August.

“We are urging the guerrillas of the Renamo Military Junta that they cannot continue to kill and destroy”, said Razao. “They must find some other way to solve their problems. We strongly condemn their attitude”.

This is the latest in a string of raids by the Junta’s men in Manica, and the neighbouring province of Sofala, mostly against vehicles using the main roads.

Source: AIM