Africa-Press – Mozambique. Terrorist groups have attacked villages in Mecula district, in the northern Mozambican province of Niassa, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”.
According to the report, neither confirmed nor denied by the Niassa Provincial Police Command, the terrorists crossed into Niassa from the neighbouring province of Cabo Delgado, where they have suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Mozambican defence and security forces and their allies from Rwanda and SAMIM (SADC Mission in Mozambique).
On Thursday, “Mediafax” claims, the terrorists attacked Gomba village about 150 kilometres from Mecula town. In the attack, the raiders destroyed a vehicle belonging to the Niassa National Reserve, the largest conservation area in the country.
Initially it was thought that the attack might be the work of poachers, but at about 05.00 on Saturday morning a police post in the locality of Naulala, 60 kilometres from Mecula town came under fire. Local sources told “Mediafax” there was an exchange of fire, in which a police officer lost his life.
The raiders vandalised and stole medicines from the local health post, and burnt down two houses.
There are reports that other villages near the Niassa/Cabo Delgado border were attacked over the weekend, but no details are yet available.
The terrorists may have set up new bases in the dense, and sparsely populated forests of eastern Niassa.
The government and its allies may be considering establishing a military presence in Mecula, which is one of the two Niassa districts (the other is Marrupa) which will benefit from the new government strategy of placing independent units of police special forces to deal with district security.
Last week, the Secretary of State for Niassa province, Dinis Vilanculos, called on Mecula and Marrupa districts to strengthen their vigilance against the possibility of terrorists entering these areas from Cabo Delgado.
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