Population flees after terrorist attack in Cabo Delgado

Dozens of villagers in the Kisanga region of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province have fled the proximity of terrorist groups since Sunday, local sources told Lusa on Wednesday.

A local source told Lusa that on Tuesday evening, a suspected 28-member terrorist group marched past the headquarters of the Mahate administrative post, the second highest in the district, causing dozens of residents to flee into the forests and to their neighbors.

“In Kisang we woke up poorly. From yesterday to this Wednesday, terrorists have been circulating, at least 28 of them have passed close to Mahate, some armed, others not, but we panicked,” said a resident who also slept in the Kisanga forests and who arrived at the Metuge district headquarters this morning .

He also explained that because of the escape, his 17-year-old brother is partially unsure of himself, does not make contact, which aggravates his fears and describes the last night in the forest as difficult, with almost no sleep.

Another source said the terrorist groups are in disarray due to incursions by defense and security forces into the perimeter of Macomia, Meluko ​​and Kisanga and the escape could be an attempt to reach Muidumbe area.

“If it were not for the fear of the Defense and Security Forces, they might even kill the population, but no, and there are no reports of the looting of the population’s property. A sign that they are afraid, they are just looking for a hiding place,” said a source from the Kisanga district headquarters.

On Sunday evening, around 19:00 (17:00 Lisbon time), the terrorists spent the night and had dinner in the village of Missone, forcing some people to flee into the forest for fear of further attacks.

“They spent the whole night in Misson, ate and did not harm anyone. They say they are here to protect the population, but they have their doubts,” lamented another source from the Kisang district headquarters.

Some sources told Lusa that the Defense and Security Forces are on the ground trying to contain the situation, but refused to say whether there were clashes between the parties or whether terrorists killed people or looted property during the movements of the last few days.

Residents of Mucojo in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province told Lusa on Monday that the administrative post has been controlled by a group of terrorists since Sunday.

“The Mukoyo administrative post has been in the hands of terrorists since Sunday, but the population remains in the same place. They told the population not to worry because they only want to confront the military,” one of the people, who asked not to be named, told Luse.

Mukoyo Administrative Post in Macomia County is 40 kilometers from the district headquarters and plays an important role in the region as a fish hatching point, having been the scene of several clashes with the military in recent years. weeks.

Cabo Delgado province has faced an armed insurgency for six years, with some attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, leading to a military response from July 2021 backed by Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). liberation of areas near gas projects.

The conflict has already displaced one million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and nearly 4,000 people have died, according to the ACLED Conflict Recording Project.