At least two people were killed by insurgents in the villages of Limala and Kalugo in the Mocímboa da Praia district of Cabo Delgado province over the weekend
Insurgents attacked Limala village on 30 June, killing one man and burning several huts. The week before, two lifeless bodies were discovered near the village, according to Carta de Moçambique.
In Kalugo, the insurgents arrived on 1 July and fatally shot a woman as they went from house to house looting food, a local source told Zitamar News.
Residents of Limala and Kalugo have fled their homes and sought refuge in nearby areas.
These attacks mark a departure from the insurgents’ strategy to win ‘hearts and minds’ along the coast of Cabo Delgado by attempting to trade peacefully with locals, which they have pursued since February.
The minister of defence, Cristóvão Chume, recently visited Mocímboa da Praia district and stated that efforts are being made to improve security conditions in the north of the country. However, he also emphasised that the security situation is liable to change rapidly due to the actions of a small number of armed individuals. Therefore, the Mozambican authorities cannot provide absolute guarantees regarding security conditions in the north of Cabo Delgado.
Chume noted that currently the insurgent groups do not appear to be actively initiating offensive actions.
