Thursday, 5 December 2013

Ten civilians killed by Renamo in last month

Attacks by gunmen of the former rebel movement Renamo over the past six weeks have resulted in ten civilian deaths, and injured a further 26 people, according to the Mozambican Defence Ministry.

Speaking at a Maputo press conference on Wednesday, the National Director of Defence Policy in the Ministry, Cristovao Chume, did not reveal the losses suffered by the defence and security forces or by Renamo itself. Almost all the Renamo attacks have occurred in the central province of Sofala. There was a further focus of tension in Rapale district, in the northern province of Nampula, where three attacks occurred.

Chume said that, in addition, to the human casualties around 30 vehicles have been targeted in the Renamo attacks. Damage varied from slight to total. The latest Renamo raid was on Tuesday night against a police post and health centre in the small town of Tica, in Sofala. The gunmen looted the health centre, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

The deterioration of the politico-military situation in Sofala can be dated to the capture by the armed forces (FADM) of the Renamo headquarters at Satunjira, in Gorongosa district, on 21 October. The army said it moved against Satunjira because its patrols in the surrounding area had come under repeated Renamo fire.

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