Eight people arrested for involvement in attacks that killed Mozambican police officers

Mozambican police have detained eight people suspected of involvement in the attacks that killed a corporate agent and wounded seven others in the Gurue region of Zambezia, central Mozambique, an official source told Lusa this Monday.

The incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. on Friday when police were assisting four community leaders in the town of Muagiua in Gurue who were attacked by people accused of spreading cholera in the region, said Sidner Lonzo, a spokesman for the organization. Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) in Zambezia.

As the police left the scene, after rescuing the leaders, one of whom was seriously injured, the population “became agitated again” and began “throwing stones, sticks and even arrows” at the agents, injuring four, one seriously, who was taken to an area hospital. where he died, Sidner told Lonzo.

A police spokesman said eight people involved in the attack on four community leaders and four police officers had been arrested, adding that investigations were still ongoing to identify the others.

“We are still on scene to conduct further investigation and, if possible, bring more people to justice for this crime,” Sidner told Lonzo.

Violence based on beliefs and rumors about cholera took root in rural areas.

In May, members of the public beat a resident to death, also in Gurue district, after accusing a family member of spreading cholera, Luse Corporation said at the time.

In June, in the same area, Mozambican police arrested four people suspected of vandalizing and burning houses whose owners were also the subject of widespread allegations of cholera spreading in Zambezia.

Health authorities in the province of Zambezia in central Mozambique this Monday declared cholera outbreaks in three districts, resulting in a total of 499 people hospitalized due to the disease.

Outbreaks have been reported in Gilles, Mokuba and Gurue districts, with the latter reporting the highest number of cases, with 300 people hospitalized.

Cholera is a disease that causes severe diarrhea, which is treatable but can lead to death from dehydration if not treated promptly.

The disease is largely caused by eating contaminated food and water due to lack of sanitation facilities.

In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that there would be a global shortage of cholera vaccines by 2025 and that the disease could affect as many as a billion people in 43 countries, noting Mozambique in October as having one of the highest incidence rates. countries at risk.

Mozambique is considered one of the countries hardest hit by climate change in the world, a situation that is worsening the resilience of infrastructure and services that prevent the disease.