Mozambique: Two killed, eight injured in Sofala bus attacks – O País

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Mozambique: Two killed, eight injured in Sofala bus attacks – O País

8:01 CAT | 20 Sep 2020

Photo: O País

Two people died and eight others were injured, one of them seriously, in an armed attack this Sunday morning, on the border between the districts of Gorongosa and Nhamatanda, in Sofala province.

The armed incursion took place on National Road number one (EN1). The particularity of this latest armed attack is that it was carried out against a convoy of vehicles escorted by officers of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique.

The targets were a vehicle from “City Link” and three from “Nagy”, destined for the cities of Nampula and Quelimane, from Beira and Maputo [in the crente and south of the country].

According to one of the survivors, who identified himself by asf Amorim Tahad and who was travelling on the first ambushed bus, this Sunday morning, the shots were carried out by individuals hidden in a forest, near the bridge over the Púnguè river.

“The police vehicle”, which escorted the buses on which the victims were travelling, was at a distance of “about 80 metres ahead of us. Suddenly, we heard several shots and in milliseconds ”the windows were hit and broke.

“The shots continued for 30 seconds and, unfortunately, in the vehicle where I was, two people, were injured, one in the leg and the other in the abdomen. The police vehicle did not stop and all four buses also continued on their way. We only stopped at the capital town of the district of Gorongosa, at the local health centre ”, narrated Amorim Tahad.

The clinical director of the Gorongosa Health Centre, Zambo Mulandeza, told “O País”, by phone, that one person arrived to that health unit was already dead. The other victim died at the Manica Provincial Hospital, “where he had been transferred to, due to the severity of his injuries” resulting from the shots.

The other injured survivors were treated, given medical discharge and continued their travels to the cities of Quelimane and Nampula, said the clinical director of the Gorongosa Health Centre.

The Police of the Republic of Mozambique confirmed the attacks without giving details, guaranteeing that it will comment on the matter this Monday.

It should be noted that this is the second attack on passenger buses, in exactly the same place, in 48 hours. The first occurred last Thursday against three buses.

“O País”further learned that, this Sunday afternoon, unidentified armed men carried out yet another attack on two cargo trucks, in the region between Muxúnguè and Inchope, in Sofala province.

By Francisco Raiva

Mozambique: Two killed in Sofala ambush – AIM report

Gunmen, believed to be members of the self-stylesd “Renamo Military Junta”, murdered two people in ambushes against four buses in the central Mozambican province of Sofala on Sunday morning.

According to a report on the independent television station, STV, the attacks occurred on the main north-south highway (EN1) near the boundary between Nhamatanda and Chibabava districts.

The vehicles were fired on, even though they were traveling in a convoy under police escort. One of the buses hit belonged to the company “City Link”, and the other three to Nagi, one of the main operators of long distance passenger transport.

According to one of the survivors, Amorim Tahad, who was travelling in the first bus, the shots were fired by people hidden in the bush, near the bridge over the Pungue river, The police vehicle escorting the buses “was about 80 metres in front of us”, said Tahad. “Suddenly we heard shots and in a fraction of a second the windows were hit and shattered”.

“The shots continued for 30 seconds, and in my vehicle two people were injured, one in the leg and the other in the abdomen”, he continued. “The police vehicle did not stop, and neither did any of the four buses. We only stopped at the health centre in Gorongosa town”.

The clinical director of the Gorongosa health centre, Zambo Mulandeza, told reporters that one of those who was brought into the centre was already dead. Another seriously injured passenger was transferred to the Manica Provincial Hospital, in the city of Chimoio, where he died later in the day.

Eight other injured passengers received medical treatment, but were able to continue their journeys to the central city of Quelimane, and to Nampula in the north.

STV added that, on Sunday afternoon, two trucks came under fire in Sofala, between Muxungue and Inchope. There was no report of casualties in this ambush.

The Military Junta is clearly stepping up its murderous attacks. In just four days, eight buses have been attacked. Two people were killed in the ambushes and 15 injured.

The latest attacks follow threats from the Junta’s leader, Mariano Nhongo, that he will “destroy” Nhamatanda distric

Source: O País / AIM