Africa-Press – Mozambique. The general commander of the Mozambican police, Bernardino Rafael, has urged the population of Quissanga district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, to return to their homes after victories by the defence and security forces against the ISIS terrorists, reports Friday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Carta de Mocambique”.
Quissanga was ravaged by the terrorists in 2020. ISIS occupied the district capital in March of that year, and even hoisted the black flag of the “Islamic State”.
Eighteen months later, Rafael announced that the government authorities have returned to Quissanga, and the terrorists have been expelled from the district, thanks to the counter-offensive by the Mozambican forces, with the support of their allies from Rwanda and member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Speaking on Thursday, at a police parade in the provincial capital, Pemba, Rafael said people displaced from their homes in Quissanga can now return, He promised that the police will strengthen its presence in the district, to allow people to return to their normal lives as farmers or fishermen.
“Carta de Mocambique” reports that people are beginning to return to at least three Quissanga villages – Nivico. 19th October and Tandanhangue.
But terrorists destroyed public and private facilities throughout the district, which must now be rebuilt.
Roads that were closed are now being reclaimed from the bush. The paper reports that a 27 kilometre stretch of road linking the 19th October village to the small town of Bilibiza is now being rehabilitated by the Integrated Development Agency for the North (ADIN), with funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
During the Pemba parade, Rafael delivered 11 vehicles to the Cabo Delgado district police commands, including the districts severely affected by the terrorist raids.
