Africa-Press – Mozambique. At least 26 people were murdered and 47 others kidnapped in June, by Islamist terrorists in various districts of the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
According to the OCHA report, the terrorists have stepped up their attacks targeting civilians, looting, kidnapping, and using improvised explosive devices, particularly in Macomia, Muidumbe, and Meluco districts.
“The violence against civilians was shown in the deaths of 26 people and the kidnapping of 47, in addition to the destruction of infrastructure and looting in several communities”, reads the report.
The document points out that 72 armed incidents were recorded in June, worsening insecurity and hindering humanitarian access in several regions.
“In addition to the casualties, 10 cases of extortion and ransom demands by insurgents were recorded, which is compromising the movement of civilians and humanitarian organizations, especially in the areas of Meluco, Mocímboa da Praia, and Macomia”, says the report.
Despite the armed violence, the UN has recorded episodes in which insurgents have adopted a “hearts and minds approach, maintaining dialogue with local populations, as occurred between June 2 and 9 in the districts of Quissanga and Macomia, where they managed to acquire food and non-food items without resorting to violence.”
Since the beginning of the insurgency in 2017, Cabo Delgado has been the scene of a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than a million displaced people and thousands of deaths.
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