By MOZTIMES
Pemba (MOZTIMES) – Insurgents blocked National Road Number 14 (EN14) on Saturday afternoon, between the villages of Nanjua and Muaja in Ancuabe district, Cabo Delgado, abducting four Chinese nationals, setting fire to two cargo trucks and a motorbike, and extorting money from drivers and passengers travelling along the route.
Local sources told MOZTIMES that the insurgents began their operation at around 3 p.m., setting up barricades in the Chaimite area of Muaja and demanding payments to allow passage. They charged up to 10,000 meticais for minibuses, commonly used for passenger transport, and up to 150,000 meticais for cargo trucks. Passengers were forced to hand over mobile phones, cash, and other personal belongings.
During the attack, four Chinese nationals were kidnapped in the Muaja area, with two of them still being held captive. The victims are believed to be linked to construction and timber companies operating in the region. The incident mirrors similar attacks that occurred weeks earlier along National Road Number 380, in northern Macomia.
Around 10 kilometres from Chaimite, another group of insurgents torched two trucks and a motorbike used as a local taxi. The owner of the bike was taken by the attackers and remains missing.
Despite the attack taking place near a Rwandan military base stationed in Chaimite, there was no immediate response. Military presence was only reported around 10 p.m., after the insurgents had already withdrawn, raising concerns among local residents and road users. (MT)
