MAPUTO, Unidentified armed men on Saturday night attacked the administrative post of Olumbe, in Palma district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, according to media reports here.
The Maputo daily, Noticias, Monday wuoted the Palma district administrator, David Mashimboko, as having confirmed the attack, but gave no details. He did not confirm or deny reports that the attackers had killed about 30 Olumbe residents, burnt down homes and looted public institutions.
Currently the police are on the ground to ascertain exactly what happened. We are waiting for this information, he aded.
The Palma district police commander, Gervasio Mahajage, could also give no details. He too was waiting for the force sent to Olumbe to return.
On Oct 5 last year, a group of Islamic fundamentalists raided police positions in Mocimboa da Praia district in the province and has clashed sporadically with the police since then.
Olumbe is about half way between Mocimboa and Palma towns. The spread of an islamist insurrection to Palma must be a matter of concern, since this is the district where huge investments are planned to extract and process offshore natural gas.
Little is known about the islamist group, which is referred to locally as Al-Shabaab although it seems to have no direct connection with the Somali terrorist group of that name.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK