Mozambique 'cleansing' besieged town of militants

Mozambican troops are carrying out what they call a “cleansing and manhunt” operation against militant Islamists who had carried a massive assault on the coastal town of Palma last week.

It involves checking the identity of each person in the town, and the reason for their presence there, army spokesman Brig Chongo Vidigal said.

Dozens of people - both locals and foreigners - were killed, thousands displaced, and vital infrastructure destroyed during the days-long raid on Palma by the militants.

The town is close to the new multi-billion dollar natural gas project being spearheaded by the French oil and energy giant, Total.

Brig Vidigal said troops had been on the ground for the last three days, and have been backed by "aerial intervention" to flush out the militants.

The militants operated in small groups, and often mixed with locals, making it difficult to neutralise them, he said.

However, there was no longer a large number of militants in the town, Brig Vidigal added.

Thousands of people - including pregnant women - fled town in boats and on foot following the outbreak of violence.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: BBC