President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed the deployment of troops in Mozambique following the insurgency that claimed the lives of scores of people.
The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) on Friday continued their mission to repatriate more South African citizens stranded in Mozambique.
This follows ongoing attacks on foreign nationals by the Islamic State group in the town of Palma and surrounding areas.
One South African, Adrian Nel, was killed a week ago; his brother and father managed to flee the attacks and were on Tuesday repatriated to Durban while others were taken to Gauteng. It is believed the South Africans were in Mozambique for work purposes.
Ramaphosa today confirmed the SANDF and other stakeholders were attending to the matter on an ongoing basis.
“We have been briefed and we have already attended to the issue to evacuate those citizens who are stranded in Mozambique. Already, the South African citizen who died and others had been brought out by the SANDF.
’’We remain involved with securing the safety of our people in Palma. The SANDF is working very hard to bring South African citizens back home,” said Ramaphosa.
Earlier this week, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor sent her condolences to Nel’s family. According to her department, the accounted for citizens were in the area known as Afungi.
“These include the two men who fled into the bush during the attacks on the Amarula Hotel convoy on 26 March and a young South African who hid away and was found by search and rescue helicopters.
“Some of these nationals are already back home while others have been moved to safe areas within Mozambique,” said the department.
Northern Mozambique has been affected by bloody violence since 2017.
The conflict intensified more than a week ago after a group of suspected terrorists stormed into the town of Palma, targeting shops, banks and a military barrack, according to media reports.
The incident has left dozens dead while about 60 people are believed to be still missing.
Political Bureau