Maputo — Islamist terrorists beheaded four people last Sunday, in the town of Palma, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, according to a report in Thursday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Carta de Mocambique”.
Those murdered were two 15 year old boys, and two adults. According to the paper’s sources, they were part of a group of 15 people who had set out from the resettlement town of Quitunda, about 15 kilometres from Palma, in search of food.
On the journey, they were ambushed by the jihadists, who fired into the air to disperse the group. The group broke up and fled in panic, but four of them fell into the hands of the terrorists.
“Carta de Mocambique” said people frequently leave Quitunda, armed with spears, machetes, bows and arrows and similar traditional weapons, and head for Palma, looking for food. This is a risky business, which can have tragic results.
Terrorist attacks in Palma town are continuing, according to the displaced people who are continuing to flee in small boats from Palma to the provincial capital, Pemba. They say that the terrorists have set up a base near what used to be a camp of the US oil and gas company Anadarko, on the road from Palma to the Quionga administrative post.
Hunger is stalking Palma district, and the main food available is cassava. All communications with the district remain cut, and so reports by people fleeing from the terrorists are the main source of information.