Mozambique: Police announce increased operations to contain armed attacks

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Mozambique: Police announce increased operations to contain armed attacks

4:26 CAT | 11 Dec 2019

File photo: Lusa

The Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) today announced the reinforcement of operations in the central and northern part of the country to contain the armed attacks there, reiterating that the country’s Defence and Security Forces are in “readiness”.

“The Defence and Security Forces are in permanent combat readiness and have been stepping up various operation in northern districts of Cabo Delgado province to target, repel and combat the wrongdoers,” a PRM statement released today reads.

The document, which does not provide details of these operations, also indicates that the Defence and Security Forces have reinforced patrols in the central provinces of Manica and Sofala, a measure which also aims to combat the armed attacks attributed to Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) guerrillas still in the region.

“The Defence Forces have been deployed on various operational fronts in offensive patrols aimed at preventing and repelling any armed attacks,” the statement adds.

Attacks by armed groups in Cabo Delgado have been taking place since October 2017. Lusa reports that this occurred “after years of friction between Muslims of different origins, with violence erupting in radicalised mosques”.

At least 300 people have died in Cabo Delgado, according to official figures, and 60,000 residents have been affected, many forced to travel elsewhere for safety, according to the United Nations.

The situation in the provinces of Manica and Sofala, in the centre of Mozambique, affects two of the country’s main road corridors: the EN1, which connects the north to the south of the country, and EN6, which connects the city and port of Beira to Zimbabwe and other southern Africa hinterland countries.

Mozambique police have blamed the self-proclaimed “Military Junta” group of dissident Renamo guerrillas for the attacks.

The raids take place in a Renamo stronghold where guerrillas clashed with Mozambican defence and security forces and hit civilian targets after the 2014 elections, from 2015 until the December 2016 ceasefire.

Officially, Renamo distances itself from the current incidents and says it is abiding by the disarmament terms of the peace agreement of August 6 this year, but a dissident splinter group led by Mariano Nhongo – considered “deserters” by Renamo – remains entrenched in the jungle pending better demobilization conditions

Source: Lusa