Mozambique/Attacks: Assault on ‘Catupa base’ in Macomia left dozens of rebels dead

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Mozambique/Attacks: Assault on ‘Catupa base’ in Macomia left dozens of rebels dead

4:05 CAT | 25 Jul 2022

File photo: Noticias de Defesa Moçambique

The Mozambican Armed Forces coordinator of the Northern Operational Theatre said on Saturday that dozens of rebels were killed during an assault on the insurgents’ main base in Macomia district, Cabo Delgado province.

“Our forces shot down dozens of terrorists and seized war and computer material,” Omar Saranga told state media in Macomia during a visit to the former Catupa base, which was considered strategic for the rebels and which was assaulted by government forces three weeks ago.

The Catupa base is located in dense forest in the district of Macomia and housed rebels who fled the military operations that culminated in the recovery of Mocímboa da Praia in August last year.

The name Katupa (Khantupha) was invented by insurgents as in Emakhua, the word Khantupha means “Don’t jump (to here)”
It can mean a place traditionally prepared not to be visible to anyone who is not invited as explained by ex-hostages & insurgents captured@news_pinnacle https://t.co/5mO77GC1jU pic.twitter.com/CdmOywHsJv

— Cabo Delgado (@DelgadoCabo) July 24, 2022

During the operation to take over the base, government forces seized an unspecified quantity of war material and computers, as well as communication radios used to coordinate actions.

Government forces at the scene presented a man who claims to have been a security guard for one of the rebel leaders in Catupa, and who reportedly surrendered to the military during the incursion.

“He is an example of those Mozambicans [who are with the rebels] who we always ask to surrender to our forces. As you can see, he is not mistreated. One of his arms is amputated, but this was done by the terrorists [the leader for whom the young man allegedly worked],” Saranga explained.

More details about documents allegedly seized to insurgents in Khatupa
Shared by @news_pinnacle https://t.co/et9DD6oCvo pic.twitter.com/KCErRlNkIE

— Cabo Delgado (@DelgadoCabo) July 24, 2022

The operation that resulted in the capture of the Catupa base was announced by the Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, a week ago, adding that one of the leaders of the rebels who have terrorized Cabo Delgado since 2017 was shot during the clash.

For the Mozambican president, the death of the rebel leader and the taking of the base do not mean the end of the fight against terrorism in northern Mozambique, although the enemy is “fragile”.

“I’m not saying that the problem is over,” Filipe Nyusi said at the time.

Cabo Delgado province, in northern Mozambique, is rich in natural gas, but has been terrorized since 2017 by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), about 800,000 persons have been internally displaced by the conflict, which has killed about 4,000, according to the ACLED conflict registry project.

Since July 2021, an offensive by government troops, with the support of Rwandan and later Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops, has recovered a number of areas from rebel control, but their flight has led to new attacks in districts through which they have passed or where they have taken up temporary refuge.

Source: Lusa