Two police officers from the Republic of Mozambique were murdered yesterday during an attack by a group of around 40 prospectors at a Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) prospecting camp in Cabo Delgado province.

A statement from the MRM says that the case may be related to an action by the migration authorities who, earlier in the day, were investigating suspected illegal immigrants in a local village. It notes that one person died in the action.

The document states that "no MRM employees or contractors were injured in the attack [on the six gates]", and that since then "conditions have been calm".

The company's note indicates that illegal miners sabotaged the infrastructure of the new processing plant.