Africa-Press – Mozambique. At least two health centres in the district of Ancuabe, in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, are closed, said the administrator of the district, which is “cyclically affected” by instability caused by armed extremist attacks.
“We have to acknowledge that Ancuabe has been cyclically affected at times due to its location. We are practically in the centre, and whatever movement or pursuit by enemy forces in neighbouring districts, Ancuabe always experiences this instability issue,” said Belmiro José, quoted by the private channel STV.
According to the administrator, economic and social life in Ancuabe district “is running normally”, thanks to security ensured by the work carried out by the Defence and Security Forces in “pursuing the enemy”.
“We have noticed, sporadically, some enemy interventions, without causing human casualties,” the official added, explaining that at least two local health centres are closed due to “terrorist action”, forcing the populations of two villages to travel “long distances” to receive medical care.
“We have received displaced persons when neighbouring villages are attacked by terrorists,” Belmiro José added.
Residents told Lusa yesterday that they found the remains of three people shot by alleged extremists in the forests of Intutupue, about 40 kilometres from the Ancuabe district headquarters.
The deaths reportedly occurred on Sunday. A community leader indicated that the populations of Intutupue, Miguel Village in Ancuabe, and Nanlia and Nancaramo in Metuge have been alerting authorities to the frequent movement of extremists, especially northwards, following attacks in Memba, the neighbouring province of Nampula.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) estimates that Cabo Delgado was the scene of 14 violent events between 10 and 23 November involving Islamic State extremists, resulting in 12 deaths.
According to ACLED’s latest report, of the 2,270 violent events recorded since October 2017, when the armed insurgency began in the province, a total of 2,107 involved elements associated with the Islamic State of Mozambique (ISM).
These attacks have caused 6,341 deaths in just over eight years, the report states, including the 12 victims reported in these two weeks of November.
“Clashes between state forces and ISM resumed in the district of Macomia, in what appears to be a significant ongoing counter-insurgency operation,” the report reads, recalling that the Islamic State stated in a weekly bulletin that on 10 November ISM repelled attempts by the Mozambican Defence Armed Forces (FADM) to recapture an outpost in Quiterajo.
“On 15 November, IS claimed to have injured two Rwandan soldiers in a clash 20 kilometres south, in the village of Cogolo. Six days later, local sources reported another clash in Cogolo when ISM ambushed Rwandan forces who had discovered an improvised explosive device planted by the group. No fatalities were reported and, according to one source, ISM suffered injuries in the confrontation,” ACLED further describes.
The province of Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique, rich in gas, has been targeted by Islamic extremist attacks for eight years, with the first attack recorded on 5 October 2017 in the district of Mocímboa da Praia.
