Business people have become a target of both insurgents and the police in Cabo Delgado. The car of local businessman John Loca was attacked near Quelimane village, Mocimboa da Praia district on Tuesday (27 Aug). Loca and another person in the car were decapitated. And on Saturday (24 Aug) a young local Mocimboa da Praia businessman, Aly Nuro, was arrested by police, allegedly for links with insurgents.
The coastal area of Macomia district, just 100 km north of Pemba, has become a centre of the insurgency in Cabo Delgado. The linked coastal towns of Mucojo and Pangane which were badly damaged by cyclone Kenneth in April are particular targets.
Four fishermen returning from the sea were attacked and beheaded Tuesday afternoon (27 Aug); they were employed by a trader, Momade Mansuli, who lives in Pangane. They were going home to their inland village of Nacotuco. A firth person was beheaded in Simbolongo, who was killed as he was cutting thatch for his roof. Both villages are on the road north of Mucojo, 3 km inland from Pangane and the sea. (Carta da Mocambique, 29 & 28 Aug) There is a good map of Macomia posted on http://bit.ly/Macomia-map.
On Monday (26 Aug) a villager in Ulo village in Mocimboa da Praia was killed.
On Friday 23 August, 5 people were killed in Nangade district in the far north of Cabo Delgado. Two were killed in Machava as they returned from spraying the cashew trees against fungus, and three were killed in an outer neighbourhood of Nangade town.
By Joseph Hanlon
Source: News, reports & clippings
