By MOZTIMES
Pemba (MOZTIMES) – From positions around Ibo Island and the city of Pemba, vessels of the Mozambican Navy have stepped up their patrols along the coast of Cabo Delgado province, including the islands in northern Macomia and southern Mocímboa da Praia.
For example, last weekend, sources in Macomia-sede and Mucojo confirmed naval vessel manoeuvres in an area near the village of Pequeue, in the Quiterajo administrative post in Macomia, and near Lucheti in southern Mocímboa da Praia.
This area has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities by insurgents, who are increasingly moving into the maritime domain, using boats stolen from local fishermen to reach the islands, buy fish and move between coastal villages, avoiding land routes where patrols by the Mozambican and Rwandan Defence and Security Forces are more frequent.
According to reports from local sources, marines fired several times between Friday and Saturday last week at boats belonging to local fishermen who were fishing off the coast of Pequeue. However, no civilian deaths were reported.
Further north, on the Mocímboa da Praia side, fishermen who were encountered by naval forces in the Kalugo area fled into the mangroves, abandoning their boats last Sunday, a local source said.
“The soldiers did not want to kill the fishermen. The area where they were was not far from the mangroves. Some fishermen fled into the mangroves when they saw the military vessels approaching. Later, when they returned, they found their boats destroyed by gunfire, but there were no civilian deaths,” a local source said.
Recently, President Daniel Chapo appointed a new Commander of the Navy and instructed him to intensify the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, which has increasingly expanded into the maritime domain.
Last year, marines were accused of deliberately killing fishermen who were fishing off the coast of Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia, as well as on nearby islands. (MT)
