Islamic Council Disowns Plans For New Madrassa
Maputo, 20 Jan (AIM) – The Islamic Council of Mozambique (CISLAMO) has distanced itself from the intentions of a group of 15 young people who claimed to be establishing a madrassa (Islamic school) in the city of Pemba, capital of the northern Cabo Delgado Province, at a time when some parts of this province are plagued by terrorism, associated with the self-styled “Islamic State”.
According to the independent newsheet “Carta de Moçambique’, the 15 youths are being held in the Mieze provincial penitentiary, in Metuge district. They were arrested in December by the Mozambican Police (PRM) when they were allegedly following “the path of radicalization” in the Cariacó neighbourhood in Pemba city.
“The Islamic religious congregations based in Pemba definitely refuse to recognize the group of 15 young people, mostly from poor families, suspected of establishing a link with the terrorists”, said CISLAMO. “The young people who have now been detained had not approached the leadership of the religious bodies or congregations in the city of Pemba, when they decided to establish their madrassa”.
Since July 2021, the Mozambican Security and Defence Forces have been working with the support of a military contingent from Rwandan Defence Forces and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) to fight terrorism in Cabo Delgado.
The attacks by jihadist terrorists have caused over 3,000 deaths and around a million people have been displaced from their homes.
(AIM)
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