Eight Mozambique soldiers killed in jihadist ambush

MAPUTO, Mozambique

Islamist terrorists killed at least eight members of the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM) last week in an ambush near Ilala village, in Macomia district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, according to a report in Thursday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”.

Initially information about the ambush was published on the Amaq propaganda channels of the self-styled “Islamic State”. These included images of the murdered soldiers, and of their identity and voter cards. The terrorists also showed images of helmets, firearms and ammunition supposedly taken from the soldiers.

There were pictures of eight bloodied bodies, wearing FADM uniforms. Amaq also showed photos of a captured Mozambican soldier.

After contacts with local sources in Cabo Delgado,”Mediafax” confirmed that the ambush had indeed occurred. The soldiers came under fire while they were on their way to attack a terrorist position. The operation was intended to dismantle bases which the jihadists are trying to rebuild on the banks of the Messalo river.

"Mediafax” suggested that information about these plans somehow leaked out, enabling the terrorists to strike first, mounting their ambush before the FADM unit could reach the jihadist base.

Claims that some of the dead were Rwandans may result from confusion between uniforms of the Rwandan Defence Force, and those used by the Mozambican Rapid Reaction Force, trained by the European Union.

Soldiers who escaped the ambush and were treated in a hospital in the provincial capital, Pemba, were all Mozambicans, according to one of the paper’s local sources.

Rwandan Brigadier Ronald Rwivanga categorically denied the “Islamic State” claim that Rwandan troops had been killed. 

He dismissed the claims as “very fake news written by a Congolese blogger”. - AIM