Maputo, 19 Jun (AIM) – A group of islamist terrorists has forced a halt to activities at a gemstone mining site, in Meluco district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, after invading the region.
According to a source cited by the Portuguese News Agency Lusa, the terrorists’ presence was noticed in the Matandane mine area, in Minhanha, 30 kilometers from the town of Meluco, at around 12.00 on Wednesday, when the miners were working there.
“The terrorists raided the Matandane mine and the miners fled”, a source said.
Another source said that the invasion of the Matandane mine took place a day after the local militia (usually referred to as “local forces”) withdrew the personnel guaranteeing security in the area. The jihadists had crossed the Messalo River to reach the mine.
There are no reports of deaths or injuries, but the population has left the area, according to sources on the ground.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), last May Islamist terrorism affected over 134,000 people in Cabo Delgado.
(AIM)
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