Mozambique Attacks: Tanzania Allegedly Turns Fleeing Survivors Away
- The United Nations revealed that Tanzania is allegedly not allowing fleeing Mozambique attack survivors across its borders
- Mozambique citizens fled the town of Palma in numbers during a Jihadist attack which resulted in a large number of deaths
- Reports from Mozambique have revealed that there are around 30 000 citizens who have been displaced and need assistance
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Concerns arose from the United Nations following reports that Tanzania forcibly rejected hundreds of Mozambicans who were fleeing jihadist raids last month.
Cabo Delgado's jihadists, known to the locals by Al-Shabaab, have launched a series of raids on towns and villages in an attempt to establish an Islamic caliphate.
On 24 March, Islamic State-linked militants launched attacks on the northeastern town of Palma. The attack forced thousands of people to flee into the nearby forest. Some who fled chose to head south while others headed to the Tanzanian border.
Source: Getty Images
eNCA reported that the attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 2 600 people with at least half of the casualties being civilians. The attack also forced roughly 700 000 people to flee.
Reports were also made in a statement given on Monday by Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management stating that approximately 30 000 people are still in the area and are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Following reports by The East African, it has been noted that thousands of people remain stranded as the UN has had no choice but to temporarily delay civilian evacuation flights from Afungi.
Previously, Briefly.co.za reported that over 40 South Africans were accounted for in the Mozambique attacks. This number includes two men who escaped the attack by fleeing into the bush but unfortunately, a close relative was killed in the onslaught.
The duo were later rescued by helicopters. The group of people rescued were reportedly found in the Afungi area where Total, the French energy company, is based. Some of the SA citizens who were found are back home, others have been moved to safer areas.
The High Commission stated that it would carry on with its track-and-trace process to find any other South Africans who might have been affected by the attacks. It is currently unclear if there are any SA citizens still there.
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Source: Briefly News
