Local reports suggest insurgents attacked a number of villages in Quissanga on 31 May, marking the first major instance of insurgent violence in the district since September 2021.
Details of the attack are still unclear but a local source told Zitamar that six armoured vehicles arrived in the village of Bilibiza, approximately 30km from district headquarters, following news that several people had been captured in the nearby villages of Tapara, Tororo and Massassi.
Another source claims that insurgents arrived in Tororo and kidnapped two women, prompting residents to hide in the bush.
Information on the attacks is difficult to obtain as a source reports that locals fear being caught speaking on the telephone, as defence forces suspect them of communicating with insurgents.
For many months, Quissanga has been a quiet front in the battle against the insurgency. The last major attack in the district took place on 19-20 September last year when insurgents killed a total of 17 civilians across three villages. Three days later, insurgents attacked three more villages and two buses carrying security forces, killing four civilians and injuring two soldiers. Before that, the last confirmed attack in Quissanga was in October 2020.
This article was produced by Zitamar and Mediafax under the Cabo Ligado project, in collaboration with ACLED. The contents of the article are the sole responsibility of Zitamar News.
