Mozambican and Rwandan troops have overrun one of the main bases of the islamist terrorist organization, operating in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, and known locally as “Al-Shabaab”.

According to Brito Simango, a senior journalist on Mozambican Television (TVM), the base was in the region of Auasse, on the border between Mocimboa da Praia and Mueda districts. The base was captured after heavy fighting which, as of Monday, was still continuing.

Simango’s account from Cabo Delgado confirms the claim made by President Filipe Nyusi, in his address to the nation on Sunday night that Auasse had been taken, after the Mozambican defence forces had seized terrorist positions at Diaca, Roma and Nantili. The enemy, said Nyusi, had made an unsuccessful counter-attack on Sunday.

Simango says a source in the Mozambican army’s Northern Operational Theatre told him the Mozambican and Rwandan units are deploying on the ground, pursuing the terrorists to their “last stronghold” – apparently a reference to the town of Mocimboa da Praia,which has been in terrorist hands since August 2020.

This source claimed there had been “heavy losses among the group of terrorists who tried to resist the intensive fire from the Mozambican and Rwandan forces. We shall not stop until we have reached the final point of concentration of the enemy”.

The Mozambican defence forces fear that some of the jihadists have buried their weapons and are now trying to pass themselves off as members of the civilian population, in order to slip out of the area where there is a strong presence of the Mozambican and Rwandan troops.

The independent newssheet “Mediafax” claims that about 50 Rwandan troops are heading towards the Chai administrative post, in Macomia district, where a terrorist attack was reported on Sunday.