Beach, Cabo Delgado, cause mass escapes

Armed clashes in the village of Mocímboa da Praia, in Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique, have been causing the population to flee since dawn today, three months after an invasion by rebels.

Residents described to Lusa that the Mozambican military is fighting armed groups that are supposed to be the same ones that on March 23 occupied the coastal village for a day, in an action later claimed by the ‘jihadist’ Islamic State group.

In at least two of the statements it is reported that there are deaths following today's clashes, but without further details.

This is the biggest confrontation that has been reported in Cabo Delgado since the occupation by insurgents of the village of Macomia, between 28 and 30 May, and consequent confrontation with the Mozambican defense and security forces.

Mocímboa da Praia is one of the main villages in the province, located 70 kilometers south of the construction area of the natural gas exploration project conducted by several international oil companies and led by Total.

One resident reported that gunfire and gunfire began in the suburbs during the early hours of the morning.

Given the previous experiences, as soon as they heard the first shots, the residents started stamping out to the bush and to the port, he reported.

Until 1 pm (12:00 pm in Lisbon), one of the residents said he saw some burnt-out facilities at the village high school, as well as damage to the administrator's protocol house and also described helicopters and military cars from the Mozambican forces in action.

At the same time, a resident showed himself to be on a boat full of people on the run, positioning himself off the village and waiting for the evolution of the situation to decide whether to return, or whether to take refuge on another island.

It is reported that there is always the sound of firearms, but without the confrontations having reached the center of the village, mainly in the surrounding neighborhoods.

“My father called me to say that his two houses were burned. I believe they killed a lot of people, ”a local source told Lusa, who also fled to the bush due to the clashes.

“I left on foot, very early. We were just watching the smoke, ”he added.

Lusa contacted the spokesman for the General Command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique, Orlando Modumane, who forwarded any clarifications to communications to be issued by the joint operations command.

Mocímboa da Praia was occupied for one day, on March 23, by armed rebels who destroyed various infrastructure in an action claimed by the ‘jihadist’ Islamic State group.

At the time, the group said it had invaded five positions in the Mozambican army and police, seized weapons and caused dozens of deaths and injuries.

SAISI