Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS) claim to have killed around 150 rebels and captured 39 other people suspected of being part of the insurgency in Cabo Delgado province in the north of the country.
The announcement was made this Wednesday [June 30] on state broadcaster Radio Mozambique by Francisco Assane, acting commander of the Afungi operational theatre.
According to the commander, the numbers refer to the balance of the operations carried out last week, from 21 to 23 June [Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday], in the district of Palma.
“The enemy launched an offensive against our positions in Monjane [Mondlane] and in Palma,” he explained, saying the numbers reflect “the result of these two combats”, but without detailing any casualties among the Mozambican forces.
The 39 persons “were captured in full combat” with the enemy, with “exchange of fire”.
The announcement is in line with reports of armed violence made to Lusa by displaced people arriving in the provincial capital Pemba in recent weeks.
Palma district was home to the natural gas exploration project led by Total, worth around €20 billion and the largest private investment in Africa, which has since been suspended on the basis of insecurity in the region.
Armed groups have terrorised Cabo Delgado since 2017, with some attacks claimed by the `jihadi` group Islamic State, in a wave of violence that has already claimed more than 2,800 lives according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), and displaced 732,000, according to the United Nations. (UN).
