Mozambique’s military said on Sunday that a “significant” number of militants had been killed during a battle over the main northern gas district of Palma, which had been captured last month by an armed militant group believed to be affiliated with the Daesh terrorist group.
Palma was seized by extremists during coordinated attacks on March 24, in what was seen as the biggest escalation of the uprising that has ravaged the North African nation since 2017.
The actual number of deaths is not yet known, but thousands were displaced from the city of about 75,000 and the French energy giant Total cut off operations at its factory of several billion dollars.
The army escorted officials and journalists through the ravaged city on Sunday, claiming that a “significant” number of militants had been killed and that they had now secured the area.
Cmdr. Chongo Vidigal, who led the military operation to regain control of the city, said the area was “safe” but failed to explain that the army had regained control.
“The airport area was the only thing we needed to clear and we did it this morning. It’s for sure,” Vidigal said. “I think a significant number of terrorists were shot down,” he said, adding that they would clarify the exact number later.
Last week, the government said dozens of civilians had died during the fighting, but Vidigal said they had not counted the bodies.
In the first film of the aftermath, state television broadcast videos of soldiers quickly pulling black plastic sheets over the dead on the streets. Some civilians collected bags of grain, while a man was shown trying to clean a destroyed booth. The city’s hospital was destroyed, as were commercial banks and the prosecutor’s office.
Vidigal said the total gas plant, which the company abandoned on Friday, was safe. “The facilities are safe, they are protected,” he explained.
Total pulled out its staff on Friday, while the UN suspended civilian evacuation flights due to security concerns. More than 11,000 civilians are known to have fled Palma in recent days, according to the UN
.
