The Mozambican army has recaptured the town of Palma, in the north of Mozambique. Commander Pondela announced this on state TV yesterday. On March 24 in the province of Cabo Delgado, on the border with Tanzania, a hundred extremists affiliated with ISIS besieged the city of Palma in a very well coordinated attack, from three sides. The city is located 15 kilometers from the Afungi Peninsula, where an important plant of the French oil giant Total is located. The death toll is unknown: dozens, perhaps more. Witnesses told of bodies set on fire and severed heads. On Twitter, the young jihadists of the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaah group claimed to have killed “55 foreign citizens”.
Mozambique, jihadist attack on the hotel: “There are foreigners, many dead and 180 hostages for three days”
by Raffaella Scuderi
The rebels held South African population, army and private contractors in check for 11 days, forcing thousands of citizens and displaced people who had arrived from other parts of the province in the previous months to flee. A convoy of 12 vehicles attempted to escape from the Amarula hotel on Saturday 27 March, only to be ambushed at the hotel entrance. A South African and a British citizen lost their lives. The Italians managed to save themselves.
Attack in Mozambique, save the Italians present at the siege of Palma
by FRANCESCO BUSSOLETTI
The president of Mozambique Filipe Eyebrows he spoke for the first time two days ago, drawing criticism from various quarters, for having stated that in reality the country has “seen worse”.
For the first time an international media managed to set foot on the site of the massacre. Sky news he filmed from above the situation in which the city is now: on fire, destroyed, deserted and strewn with lifeless bodies. With images of the attack by jihadists dressed as military.
Commander Pondela triumphantly announced that the troops “have completed” the reconquest of Palma. Adding that work is now underway to bring the population back home. An unlikely undertaking given that the city is almost completely razed to the ground.
More than 24 thousand people are missing, dead or still in the bush, where they have sought refuge. And almost 10 thousand those who managed to reach other safe places, including Pemba, the provincial capital. Thousands have besieged the “village” Total asking for shelter, water, food. Nothing was given to them.
The attack was claimed by Isis on Sunday. The group of “young criminals” who have been wreaking havoc in the north of the country for at least 3 years has intensified their attacks in the last year, taking control of Mocimboa da Praia. Americans and Portuguese have sent special teams to train the Mozambican army which is under attack from the population, which is said to have been abandoned by the military forces. “When the assault began, the soldiers undressed, and almost naked they fled,” says a witness.
In three years of terror, 700,000 have been displaced and 2,500 have died. Palma has at least 100,000 inhabitants, of which half are refugees.
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