Clashes between army

Clashes between Mozambican government forces and insurgents continue in the village of Mocímboa da Praia, now practically empty after several attacks by armed groups last week, army sources told Lusa on Monday. “The confrontations continue and the region is practically abandoned. A good part of the small population that was still there has fled,” said a source from the Mozambican army. In the past seven days, the insurgents have carried out sequenced attacks on the villages of Anga, Buji, Ausse and the village of Mocímboa da Praia (northern Mozambique), and according to data from advanced government forces in the past week, at least 59 “terrorists” have died in response operations by government forces. On Wednesday, armed groups invaded the port of Mocímboa da Praia and the clashes left an unknown number of dead, including members of government forces, according to information provided to Lusa by an army source. Several infrastructures have been vandalised and the lines of communication are also cut.

“Practically anyone who is there has no contact with the outside world,” advanced another military source, who adds that several operations are underway to strengthen the Defence and Security Forces. Because of their proximity, the island of Ibo and the district of Palma are among the main refuges for the people who live in Mocímboa, but some even prefer to flee to the provincial capital (Pemba), just over 300 kilometres away. A resident of Mocímboa da Praia who took refuge months ago in Pemba told Lusa that several people are still arriving at the provincial capital from the districts of Mocímboa da Praia. “There are many people missing and the fear of all of us is that our relatives died in the midst of the clashes,” he said. On Thursday, the Minister of Defence, Jaime Neto, said that armed groups are infiltrating the communities and commanding attacks against the village from the port facilities. “The enemy infiltrated several neighborhoods, dressed as civilians and benefiting from various accomplices, attacking the village from the inside out, causing destruction, looting and murder of defenseless citizens, with sabotage maneuvers and attacks on rescue ships from the port of Mocímboa da Praia,” said the Minister of Defense, who said, however, “the insurgents do not control any point.

Mocímboa da Praia is one of the main villages in the province, located 70 kilometres south of the construction area of the natural gas exploration project conducted by several international oil companies and led by Total. The village had been invaded and occupied for a day by rebels on March 23, in an operation later claimed by the ‘jihadist’ Islamic State group, and was, on June 27 and 28, the scene of long confrontations between government forces and insurgent groups. Cabo Delgado province has been under attack since October 2017 by insurgents, classified since the beginning of the year by Mozambican and international authorities as a terrorist threat. According to the United Nations, the armed violence has led to the flight of 250,000 people from districts affected by insecurity, further north in the province.