Niassa: Defence Forces Deny Expansion of Terrorism in the Region

The position was presented by the spokesperson for the Mozambique Armed Defence Forces, Omar Saranga, following an attack on a tourist camp in the Niassa Special Reserve, which left at least one person dead, destroyed infrastructure, displaced thousands of people and led to the abduction of several individuals.

According to Saranga, the priority of the security forces remains the protection of local communities, maintaining the presence of the State and locating the groups responsible for the attacks.

“At this moment, the most important thing is to ensure the protection of the population, preserve the presence of the State and continue operations aimed at locating and neutralising the groups responsible for this type of action,” he said.

The spokesperson added that the incident in Niassa does not, at this stage, mean that terrorism has established a permanent presence in the province.

The attack took place on 4 September in the Marangira hunting area, within the Niassa Special Reserve. Authorities later reinforced security in the region.

Information released by the authorities indicates that the attackers may have come from neighbouring Cabo Delgado province, where armed groups have been active since 2017.

In the same context, Defence Minister Cristóvão Chume called for greater investment in the modernisation of the Armed Forces, particularly through the use of new technologies, continuous training and cooperation with partners.

Chume said the country is facing increasingly complex threats, including terrorism, organised crime and other risks that require a stronger response capacity from the defence forces.

Cabo Delgado remains the main focus of the armed insurgency in northern Mozambique, although sporadic incursions have also been recorded in recent years in neighbouring Niassa and Nampula provinces.