The Mozambican Defense and Security Forces (SDS) have “completely” taken over Palma, the target of attacks by armed groups 11 days ago, said the spokesman for the Teatro Operacional Norte, Chongo Vidigal, from the village this Sunday.
Palma “is complete [tomada pelas Forças de Defesa e Segurança]. Today we finished clearing the only area that needed to be cleared. [limpeza], we did that this morning and it’s perfectly safe. “
The “sensitive area” released this Sunday is the village airfield and security has been restored, he added.
The next step, he went on, will be to create conditions for the safe return of the population forced to flee after the March 24 attacks.
“IT IS [uma fase] critical because it requires a lot of sharpness, a lot of attention and a lot of thought on the part of the defense and security forces to receive this population, but also to carry out prophylaxis [a prevenção da infiltração de grupos armados]so that they no longer cause problems, ”added Brigadier Chongo Vidigal.
The governor of the province of Cabo Delgado, where Palma is located, Valige Tauabo, assured journalists that “the enemy has been overthrown” in Palma and that the safe return of the displaced must be guaranteed.
“Our presence comes from knowing that the defense and security forces are committed to the cause of the country. The work done has resulted in the overthrow of the enemy, ”he told reporters in Palma.
The violence that started more than three years ago in the province of Cabo Delgado escalated a week ago when armed groups attacked the village of Palma, which is about six kilometers from the multi-million dollar natural gas projects.
The attacks caused dozens of deaths and forced the flight of thousands of Palma residents, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that has affected around 700,000 people in the province since the conflict began.
Source: valleybugler.com
