Maputo, 4 Mar (AIM) – Islamist terrorists have murdered two members of the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces (FDS) in Quirimba Island, one of the islands in Ibo district, off the cast of the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
According to Monday’s issue of the independent newsheet “O País”, citing local sources, the killing took place a day after the terrorists temporarily occupied Quissanga town.
After controlling the island, according to local inhabitants “they [the terrorists] killed a cow, cooked it and invited some people from the town to join in the meal.”
“Since they raided Quirimba, people here on Ibo live in fear and the authorities have forced people to stay indoors for security reasons. No one is allowed to leave their houses on orders from the soldiers, because the terrorists are threatening to come to Ibo after they leave Quirimba”, a source said.
On the other hand, according to “Carta de Moçambique”, at 08.00 on Saturday, a group of over ten terrorists entered Quissanga town, apparently to buy basic products there.
The shopkeepers who had already opened their stalls, abandoned their businesses, leaving their doors open, which allowed the terrorists to loot many food products. The terrorists’ presence in the town lasted for more than five hours.
“Yes, the terrorists are in Quissanga. They’re carrying rice towards Mussomero. People are watching and others are hiding. They came at a time when many civil servants were already in the district, including the Administrator”, a source said.
“That’s right, I’m coming out of the bush and I heard that the terrorists have already left, but they’ve taken food and a motorbike. It looks like they’re camped in Mussomero”, a civil servant said, adding that “they didn’t hurt anyone, they didn’t even shoot.”
According to the paper, the Quissanga administrator, Sidónio Lino, was seen among the crowds fleeing to Ibo district. However, when asked about the situation in the town, the administrator said “it is not up to me to answer, this information was the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence or the General Command of the police”.
(AIM)
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