Africa-Press – Mozambique. A gang of ten young men burnt down six houses in Nacololo village [Nairoto Administrative Post], Montepuez district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, in an attack before dawn last Thursday, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Carta de Moçambique”.
At first sight, the attack might seem the work of the islamist terrorists who have spread havoc throughout the northern and central districts of Cabo Delgado.
But the police were soon able to arrest seven of the raiders, and found that one of them is the son of a local official, a neighbourhood secretary in the village. Usually neighbourhood secretaries are members of the ruling Frelimo Party.
Sources cited by “Carta de Moçambique” said that all ten members of the group were from Nacololo.
They said that, during the attack, the raiders shouted in Swahili, the language commonly used by the terrorists which suggests the youths may have wanted to give the impression that they were part of the terrorist group.
So far the motives for the attack are not known, and it is not clear whether the youths have any real connection with the jihadists.
In addition to leaving six families without a roof over their heads, the gang also stole food from village shops.
Montepuez is in the south of the province, and to date there have been no confirmed terrorist attacks in the district.
