Maputo, 16 Feb (AIM) – The French Foreign Ministry has placed the northern Mozambican Province of Cabo Delgado on its red map of insecurity, following the intensification of terrorists attacks in some districts of that province.
According to a statement dated Thursday, published on the Ministry’s Website, Paris “strongly recommend its citizens not to travel to Mocímboa da Praia, Pemba and Palma, as well as on the roads linking these locations, due to the presence of a terrorist and kidnapping threat.”
“It should be remembered that in the context of the intensification of the terrorist threat in Cabo Delgado, jihadist attacks are to be feared in the Mocímboa da Praia and Palma. The entire province of Cabo Delgado, including the city of Pemba, is formally not recommended”, reads the statement.
According to the document, after the large-scale terrorist attacks perpetrated in 2021, namely against the towns of Mocímboa da Praia and Palma, and the continuation in 2022 and 2023 of terrorist actions in various areas of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, “the security situation remains degraded. Many people who fled terrorist-targeted areas are still displaced.”
The alert includes a recommendation against travelling to the Nampula districts of Mecuburi, Erati, Memba, Nacarôa, and parts of the districts of Muecate, Monapo and Nacala.
The recommendation makes little sense, since there have been no terrorist attacks in any of these districts.
In April 2021, the French oil and gas company, TotalEnergies, declared force majeure to suspend all activities on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, due to a major terrorist raid against the town of Palma.
However, recently, the management of TotalEnergies, expressed its willingness to resume operations as a result of the improvement in security conditions.
(AIM)
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