Looting and vandalism by Islamic State-backed insurgents have left Quissanga town in Cabo Delgado province stripped of food, medicine and other essential supplies, local sources told Zitamar News.
Since insurgents first occupied Quissanga town — the main town in Quissanga district — on 2 March, they have been systematically removing goods from shops, civilian homes, government buildings and the local hospital and loading them onto boats at the pier in the nearby village of Tandanhangue, bound for insurgent-occupied Mucojo in Macomia district. Many of the boats were stolen from local fishermen.
The looted goods include food, building materials, computers, medicines, medical equipment, and even motorbikes, tractors and an ambulance, according to local sources.
One of the boats carrying the ambulance was seen leaving Tandanhangue from the shore of Ibo island on Monday but the Mozambican navy based on the island did not intervene and the insurgents were beyond the effective range of the army’s guns.
Zitamar understands that as of Wednesday, insurgents were still in Quissanga, but they are expected to leave soon. The wet season has damaged bridges and made many roads impassable, hindering the movements of the security forces.
Insurgents also occupied and looted the nearby island of Quirimba from 3 to 7 March.
This article was produced by Zitamar News under the Cabo Ligado project, in collaboration with Mediafax and ACLED. The contents of the article are the sole responsibility of Zitamar News.
Zitamar News
