According to sources, the insurgents abandoned the district headquarters town of Macomia, which they had occupied since the early hours of Friday, at around 2pm today, towards the administrative post of Mucojo, prompting the return of residents.
“At the time I am talking, we’re on our way home, we heard that the rebels left and headed towards the village of Mucojo”, reported a member of the public, who for the last 24 hours had been in hiding in the woods.
The source said he did not know whether houses were destroyed during the insurgents’ incursion, but confirmed the vandalization of stores and the subsequent removal of food products that were distributed to the population.
On Friday, the Ministry of National Defence confirmed a “terrorist attack”, during the early hours of the morning, on the town of Macomia, ensuring that one of the group’s leaders was injured by the Armed Defence Forces of Mozambique (FADM) and another killed.
“The attack lasted around 45 minutes and the terrorists were promptly repelled by the coordinated action of our forces, which forced the enemy to retreat, towards the interior of the administrative post of Mucojo”, reads a statement from the Ministry of National Defence.
It adds that the attack took place at around 04:45 local time on Friday and that, in the “confrontation”, the FADM “captured a terrorist and injured one of the leaders, known as ‘Issa’, who managed to escape, with no registration of deaths or injuries by the Armed Forces”.
“Subsequently, the captured terrorist lost his life from serious injuries”, it reads.
The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, had already confirmed, late Friday morning, this attack on the district headquarters of Macomia, explaining that it took place in an area previously controlled by the military of the SADC mission, which is currently progressively withdrawing up until July.
“It is true that it is an area occupied by our brothers who support us, in retreat. But those on the ground are 100% Mozambicans. Perhaps there could be reinforcements (…). As they are leaving. I hope we can get together organize better, because the transition time allows for this”, he acknowledged, praising the ongoing intervention of the Mozambican military.
The shootings at the district headquarters began during the early hours of the morning, with the rebels appearing in the center of the village, coming from the Mucojo road, local sources reported early on Friday morning, to Lusa.
The same sources also indicated, at that time, that the district headquarters town of Macomia was taken by more than a hundred insurgents.
The town of Macomia is located on the National Road 1 (N1), which connects to the northernmost districts, such as Muidumbe, Nangade, Mueda, Mocímboa da Praia and Palma, so this attack also interrupted land communication to five districts.
The province has been facing an armed rebellion since October 2017 with attacks claimed by movements associated with the extremist group Islamic State.
