Sofala Attack: 10 dead and 9 wounded in Chibabava district

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Sofala Attack: 10 dead and 9 wounded in Chibabava district

8:34 CAT | 24 Dec 2019

in file CoM

Ten people were killed and nine others injured following a new attack on a bus in central Mozambique, a local administrator told Lusa today.

The attack occurred around 6 a.m. and the victims were in a bus when a group opened fire at Mutindiri-2 in Chibabava district on National Road Number 1, Luís Nhazonzo said, Administrator of Chibabava in Sofala province.

“The authorities are already on the ground and it is premature to go into details. In due course we will go further,” said the administrator, adding that, in addition to the bus, the group attacked two other vehicles without, however, registering casualties.

A report from TV channel STV shows the bus burned down on National Road Number 1 and the driver, interviewed by the agency, describes which group was “shooting to kill”.

“The front tires got hit I couldn’t ride the bus anymore and I got into the bush,” says the driver, adding that, having stopped, he fled and the group set fire to the bus carrying at least 23 people.

“It is possible that some passengers were charred inside,” he added.

The injured were taken to Muxungue Hospital.

Since August, a total of 21 people have been killed in armed attacks by bush-walking groups in Manica and Sofala provinces, raids that have affected civilian targets, police and vehicles.

The situation of insecurity affects two of the country’s main road corridors, EN1, which connects the north to the south of the country, and EN6, which connects the port city of Beira with Zimbabwe and the rest of the interior countries of southern Africa – leading to reinforcement of policing and escorts in some sections.

Officially, the party departs from the current incidents and says it is carrying out the disarmament actions contained in the peace agreement of August 6th this year, but a dissident group (considered “deserter” by Renamo) led by Mariano Nhongo remains entrenched. In the region, claiming better demobilization conditions and threatening to resort to weapons if not heard.

Source: Lusa