Cabo Delgado: Defense Minister confirms new terrorist attacks and speaks of thousands of displaced people

The terrorists recently returned to the North Operational Theater in Cabo Delgado province, contrary to the talk of a "controlled situation". The attacks were covered by the press. This forced the Minister of National Defense to speak out.

On Thursday, Cristóvão Chume was questioned by journalists about the latest events in the province. Having acknowledged the terrorist attacks, he expressed his displeasure at the current situation.

"As a Defense Force, we are not satisfied with the current state of affairs, taking into account that in recent days the terrorists have had access to areas further away from the center of gravity that we point out [as being] Macomia, and as you can see they have accessed Ancuabe, Chiúre, and destroyed homes and the population's property, including deaths," he said.

Cristóvão Chume said that these advances by terrorist groups had forced the displacement of around 12,000 citizens to 'safer' areas.

"I can't say, I don't have exact figures on people who have moved because of the terrorist action. But in the last few days, the action that resulted in the terrorist attack in Ancuabe and particularly in Chiúre-Velho, resulted in the displacement of between 11,000 and 12,000 people," he said.

Speaking to journalists, the Minister clarified that the current situation is not about SAMIM leaving the country. But he also warned that "peace" is not an eternal or lifelong promise in times of terrorism.

"The current situation does not depend on the presence or departure of SAMIM from our country. We have been recognizing very openly and objectively that fighting terrorism is not a situation in which we will always have only moments of peace," he noted.

He appealed to the press not to focus support for the fight against terrorism only on Rwanda, because, he said, other countries support Mozambique.

"We need to stop particularizing support for the fight against terrorism in Mozambique based on support from Rwanda. Tanzania is along the border with Mozambique, collaborating in the fight against terrorism, to deny terrorists coming from outside access to Mozambique from the border with Mozambique, and also the possibility of terrorists operating in Mozambique being able to enter the Tanzanian border," he said.

The terrorists recently returned to the North Operational Theater in Cabo Delgado province, contrary to the talk of a "controlled situation". The attacks were covered by the press. This forced the Minister of National Defense to speak out.

On Thursday, Cristóvão Chume was questioned by journalists about the latest events in the province. Having acknowledged the terrorist attacks, he expressed his displeasure at the current situation.

"As a Defense Force, we are not satisfied with the current state of affairs, taking into account that in recent days the terrorists have had access to areas further away from the center of gravity that we point out [as being] Macomia, and as you can see they have accessed Ancuabe, Chiúre, and destroyed homes and the population's property, including deaths," he said.

Cristóvão Chume said that these advances by terrorist groups had forced the displacement of around 12,000 citizens to 'safer' areas.

"I can't say, I don't have exact figures on people who have moved because of the terrorist action. But in the last few days, the action that resulted in the terrorist attack in Ancuabe and particularly in Chiúre-Velho, resulted in the displacement of between 11,000 and 12,000 people," he said.

Speaking to journalists, the Minister clarified that the current situation is not about SAMIM leaving the country. But he also warned that "peace" is not an eternal or lifelong promise in times of terrorism.

"The current situation does not depend on the presence or departure of SAMIM from our country. We have been recognizing very openly and objectively that fighting terrorism is not a situation in which we will always have only moments of peace," he noted.

He appealed to the press not to focus support for the fight against terrorism only on Rwanda, because, he said, other countries support Mozambique.

"We need to stop particularizing support for the fight against terrorism in Mozambique based on support from Rwanda. Tanzania is along the border with Mozambique, collaborating in the fight against terrorism, to deny terrorists coming from outside access to Mozambique from the border with Mozambique, and also the possibility of terrorists operating in Mozambique being able to enter the Tanzanian border," he said.