Beheadings in northern Mozambique cause alarm

By Jose Tembe, MAPUTO, Mozambique

The beheading of two people by suspected Islamist militants is causing alarm in northern Mozambique as such atrocities have become less common in recent years.

This is partly because regional troops were deployed two years ago to help the army recapture territory from the jihadists in the northern region of Cabo Delgado.

While this has allowed some people to return to their villages, it has also encouraged retreating insurgents to win over villagers from whom they buy food.

Of late they have been saying their fight is with the defence forces, not locals.

But the decapitated bodies of two fishermen were found in a bush near the village of Litamanda in Macomia district on Monday.

It is believed they were killed over the weekend. A group of militants were spotted near where the two men resided, about 20km (12 miles) from Litamanda, on Saturday.

It comes two months after another beheading in Cabo Delgado.

It is causing much concern among villagers in the region who had hoped an end to the six-year-long insurgency was in sight.