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Mozambique: Police announce arrest of Renamo Military Junta recruiters – AIM
3:01 CAT | 23 Nov 2019
Photo: Jornal Txopela
The Mozambican police force (PRM) on Thursday announced that it has arrested six men for attempting to recruit youths to take part in violent activities for the dissident “Renamo Military Junta” in the central province of Zambezia.
According to the Deputy General Commander of the Mozambican police, Timoteo Bernardo, the aim of the recruitment was to reactivate military bases in the province. He pointed out that the police operation was in response to an order from President Filipe Nyusi to ensure that the country remains at peace. Bernardo noted, in particular, the agreement reached between the government and the country’s largest opposition party Renamo on the cessation of military hostilities and definitive peace.
Despite these agreements, ambushes on the main roads in the centre of the country have left ten people dead, with dozens injured. As a result, President Nyusi has ordered the defence and security forces to launch operations to pursue and capture the individuals responsible for the armed attacks.
Both Renamo and the “Renamo Military Junta” have denied responsibility for the attacks. However, the police presented to the press conference in the provincial capital, Quelimane, representatives of the Junta who have been detained. The leader of the recruitment mission, Carlos Leao, told journalists that he had received orders from the head of the Junta, Mariano Nhongo, to travel to Zambezia and recruit followers to reactivate military bases and launch a destabilisation campaign against the leadership of Renamo.
Leao explained that he has been in Zambezia since September under orders from Nhongo to recruit youths and to set up bases in Mpinha and Chire in Morrumbala district, as well as in the districts of Milange, Namorroi. He admitted that by the time of his arrest he had only managed to recruit 18 youths.
Leao alleged that the Military Junta was receiving support from senior members of Renamo including Ivone Soares, Antonio Muchanga, the mayor of Quelimane Manuel de Araujo, former party secretary-general Manuel Bissopo, Sandura Ambrosio, and Elias Dhlakama (the brother of the late leader of Renamo Afonso Dhlakama).
He stated categorically that the aim of the attacks is the removal of Ossufo Momade from the leadership of Renamo.
Source: AIM
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