A terrorist attack resulted in the death of seven people earlier this week, in a mining area known as Ravia, in the district of Meluco, in the central region of Cabo Delgado.

The attack, according to a Letter from Mozambique which cites local sources, took place last Monday and the victims include two women. It all started when an armed group climbed into the area, after which people fled and it was from there that the attackers opened fire.

"What we know so far is that seven people died there, five men and two women," said Saide Salimo, a resident of Meluco.

Another source quoted in the same publication said that in recent days, insurgents have been circulating frequently in the Ravia area and, "without a doubt, they may have killed some people".

The sources added that the situation has forced other residents and illegal miners to abandon their homes, with some going to the district headquarters and others returning to their areas of origin. According to the interlocutors, members of the Islamic State are supposedly establishing new bases in the lower areas of the Meluco district.

Following the new terrorist attack, the Mozambican Army announced yesterday, Thursday (30), the launch of a military operation in Meluco, which has been the target of successive attacks in recent months. Mozambican and Rwandan forces were sent to a dense forest area near the border with Tanzania, following the attack reported earlier this week, the military said.

The Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (FADM) have confirmed what they consider to be a "terrorist attack" in Meluco, which is approximately 150 kilometers south of the border with Tanzania.

(Photo DR)