Four people killed by terrorists in Balama

Maputo, 22 Sep (AIM) – At least four people were killed last Tuesday by Islamist terrorists in the Mavala administrative post, Balama district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

According to sources cited by the Portuguese News Agency Lusa, the attack against residents of Balama took place in an agricultural production area, over 250 kilometers from Pemba city, the Cabo Delgado provincial capital.

During their incursion, the terrorists also burned down several houses, forcing households to flee the region in search of safer places to hide.

“They killed people in the agricultural fields while they were working. The situation led to peasants fleeing, fearing further attacks in the area. Some people fled to the Balama town centre and others to Montepuez district”, one source said.

According to a source related to military operations on the ground, the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces (FDS) are pursuing the terrorists in the forests of Macomia “and this includes aerial bombardment, and reconnaissance of rebel movements in the administrative posts of Quiterajo and Mucojo, 70 and 40 kilometers from Macomia town, where the operation has been ongoing for almost 10 days.”

“Since 7 September, Quiterajo and Mucojo have been the target of military action, including aerial bombardment”, the source said.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the total number of people displaced by recent attacks by terrorist groups in Cabo Delgado has risen to 5,770 in recent days in the districts of Muidumbe, Mocímboa da Praia and Montepuez.

“This new wave of insecurity led to the displacement of approximately 5,770 people, equivalent to 1,471 households, including 3,271 people from Mocímboa da Praia, 2,230 who fled from various locations in the Muidumbe district, and 269 from the Montepuez district”, reads the IOM report.
(AIM)
Ad/pf (300)