The population of Mozambique detained three suspected of collaborating with terrorists

Residents of the village of Nanoa in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado have captured three suspected collaborators of terrorist groups operating in the region, local sources told Lusa this Monday.

“They captured three people in Nanoa, one of them was Congolese. He came out of the forest and received a big wound. Because of his characteristics, he caused mistrust in the society,” a source from the Ankuabe area, Cabo Delgado, told Lusa. . local community.

Another source said that the suspects were detained between February 6 and 7.

The suspect, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, even asked the owners of the field where he was found to help him get to a nearby hospital for treatment before being captured by members of the public.

Two other suspects, both Mozambicans from neighboring Nampula province, also turned up at an agricultural field in Nanoa, six kilometers from the district headquarters of Ankuabe, where they were captured and also handed over to authorities.

“They arrived separately and left in machamba. [campos agrícolas] different,” the source said.

The movements of terrorist groups in recent days have triggered pursuit operations by defense and security forces in Ankuab. On Friday, the military’s actions caused panic among the population in the area, causing several families to flee their homes fearing further attacks.

“The agitation was caused by the movement of helicopters. They were cruising through the villages of Ankuabe and when the population sees the helicopters, they think they are already close,” said another local source, however, guaranteeing that the situation has returned to normal. in this area.

“I left when I saw the helicopters circling, we are not used to this,” the 47-year-old woman, who returned from Ankuabe headquarters on Sunday after two days away from the community, told Lusa.

Cabo Delgado province has faced an armed insurgency for six years, with the extremist group Islamic State claiming responsibility for some attacks, leading to a military response from July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community, liberating areas along gas projects.

After a period of relative stability, new attacks and movements have been recorded in Cabo Delgado in recent weeks, although local authorities suspect the movement is linked to a crackdown carried out by defense and security forces in the districts of Macomia, Quisanga and Muidumbe, including the hardest hit.

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