Terror strikes south of Pemba – Carta

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Terror strikes south of Pemba – Carta

2:45 CAT | 13 Jun 2022

Photo: O País

Driven out by Rwandan military forces operating to the north of Pemba, where they set up a security cordon to protect the critical Rovuma gas site in Afungi, Palma district, ISIS terrorists have split into small guerrilla groups and are carrying out attacks ever closer to the city of Pemba.

After an attack on Nanduli (Ancuabe), a village 106 km from Pemba, last Sunday (05-06), Saturday (11-06) saw the distance reduced by half, with an incursion into the village of Ntutupue, also in Ancuabe.

At least four people were beheaded, two in Ntutupue village ‘machambes’ and two in the Msufini region, in a settlement adjacent near the small village of Miguel.

‘Carta’ sources said that the possibility of more people having been beheaded was high and added that young men had been captured by insurgents on Saturday afternoon. The situation caused panic in the village, many taking refuge in the town of Chiúre.

In Chiúre, especially in the regions of Mazeze and Chiúre-Velho, which were believed to be the destination of the terrorists when they crossed Ntutupue towards the south, part of the population fled to the woods, and heard shots from their hiding places.

Meanwhile, the crossing between Sunate, also known as Silva-Macua, is practically deserted. A considerable part of the population has fled and the usual street vendors no longer take to the roads for their informal trade.

Authorities in Chiure, from 7:00 a.m. this Sunday, forbade the departure of private vehicles and passenger transporters for Pemba or other points, while moto-taxis are only allowed circulate within the headquarters town.

As a result, in Chiúre on Sunday morning, the line of vehicles stretched from the Control Post past the Station and all the way to the Municipal Council building.

It is also impossible to travel from Chiure to the Metoro junction; between Chiure and Ancuabe; between Metuge and Silva-Macua on the EN1; and between Metuge and Ancuabe.

This upheaval, caused by the terrorists since Saturday, comes at a time when the Minister of the Interior, Arsénia Massingue, and Commander General of the PRM, Bernardino Rafael, are visiting Cabo Delgado, specifically the city of Pemba, Mueda, Mocimboa da Praia and Palma. The two visited PRM military positions and district commands.

After the attack on Nanduli a week ago, denied by the PRM but confirmed by President Filipe Nyusi, the government seems to have given instructions to limit official information on the presence of terrorists and violent clashes south of Pemba. That is why there has not yet been any official confirmation of the beheading of two security guards and an agent of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) providing security at a graphite mine in Ancuabe, operated under concession by Grafex Moçambique, a subsidiary of Triton Minerals Limited.

The presence of insurgents in Ancuabe district, a graphite extraction centre in Mozambique, led Australian companies Syrah Resources and Triton to suspend all travel to their mining areas in Ancuabe.

Syrah Resources shares immediately dropped by 15%. A statement from Syrah, which operates a mine in neighbouring Balama district, noted that these were “the first confirmed attacks in Ancuabe district”. Syrah said it took “the precautionary measure of suspending all personnel and logistics movements on the section” between Ancuabe and Balama “until further information is available”. There has been no impact so far on graphite mining and processing in Balama.

“Syrah’s highest priority is the health and safety of employees and contractors. Accordingly, the Company retains close contact with Government, security authorities and other stakeholders to monitor the situation and assess the safe resumption of transport operations,” it said.

Source: Carta de Moçambique