Mozambique: This will be “decisive year” for beating terrorism – AIM report

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Mozambique: This will be “decisive year” for beating terrorism – AIM report

12:11 CAT | 05 Jan 2021

File photo: MMO

2021 will be “the decisive year” for defeating terrorism in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, according to Maj-Gen Eugenio Mussa, the commander of the government forces in the province.

Addressing a military parade in Cabo Delgado on Sunday, reported by Mozambican Television (TVM), Mussa declared “we must destroy those who are against the motherland”.

He called on Mozambican troops to act rigorously, to wipe out definitively the armed groups that have been terrorising several Cabo Delgado districts since October 2017, and who have now pledged their allegiance to the self-styled “Islamic State”.

“We cannot continue with this matter pending”, said Mussa, who also attacked disinformation allegedly generated on social media.

Meanwhile, according to the independent newssheet “Mediafax”, it was an attack on New Year’s Day against the resettlement town of Quitunda, in Palma district, that triggered the decision by the French oil and gas company Total to order a temporary evacuation of some of its workers from the Afungi Peninsula.

Afungi is where a consortium headed by Total is building natural gas liquefaction plants. According to “Mediafax”, Total evacuated around 500 of its workers to the provincial capital, Pemba, while others were pulled back to Palma town. The Afungi work force numbers about 3,000.

The islamists have been drawing closer to Afungi, but met resistance from the Mozambican defence and security forces. On 9 December, they attacked the village of Mute, 21 kilometres south of Afungi, but were driven back by the defence forces, with helicopter support.

The terrorists came back to Mute on 24 December, burning houses and stealing food. After heavy fighting, they were again driven back.

On 29 December, the jihadists attacked Monjane village, five kilometres outside Afungi. On the same day, there was also an attack against Olumbe, 14 kilometres from Afungi. The number of dead and wounded in these clashes is not yet clear.

The attack against Quitunda came on 1 January, when just two terrorists infiltrated the town. According to “Mediafax”, their attack set off the highest level of security sirens, which triggered the Total withdrawal.

Military sources told “Mediafax” they suspected that the two terrorists entered Quitunda by infiltrating a group of displaced people fleeing from Mute. They hid in one of the houses recently built to accommodate displaced people, but a report on possible infiltration led the defence forces to investigate.

Also read: President Nyusi inaugurates resettlement village in Palma

When they discovered the house where the two islamists were hiding, the latter opened fire. The Mozambican forces returned fire, and within a few minutes the two terrorists were dead.

Source: AIM