A dozen journalists of a Catholic radio station have been forced to hide in the forest in northern Mozambique, denounced the National Community Radio Forum (FORCOM), according to which the entire editorial team of the Community Radio of São Francisco de Assis was forced to flee due to a violent attack by insurgents in the district of Muidumbe, province of Cabo Delgado. Fides News Agency reported the situation.
“On October 31, the insurgents occupied the parish church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, where the Radio is located, forcing the 9 journalists, together with their families, to flee and take refuge for more than ten days in the woods, in the direction of the nearest districts, Mueda and Montepuez, presumably safer within the province of Cabo Delgado”, states FORCOM which also denounces: “armed violence has reached levels never seen before, with the assault and occupation of the main villages”.
According to Father Edgard Silva Júnior, coordinator of the Radio, it is suspected that the entire structure of the radio station has been completely destroyed by the gunmen, but at least part of the equipment was saved, to be transported to the city of Pemba. The village of Muambula, where the Radio station is located, is under the control of the insurgents.