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Mozambique: South Africa deploys forces after jihadist attack
[DW] South Africa has deployed troops in Mozambique following a jihadist attack on the northern town of Palma. This comes as French energy giant Total withdraws all staff from the region.South Africa deployed troops to Mozambique on Friday following an attack by "Islamic State  ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... " (IS) gunnies in the northern town of Palma last month. The announcement was made during a televised address by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who emphasized the need to protect South African nationals in neighboring Mozambique. "We remain involved with securing the safety of our people in Mozambique — in Pemba and in Palma," Ramaphosa said. The attack on Palma has forced thousands of people to flee the town and seek safety in the port town of Pemba, which serves as the capital of Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province. Ramaphosa said the South African military began rescuing nationals stranded in Mozambique and recovered the body of a South African killed in the attack. FRENCH ENERGY GIANT CEASES OPERATIONS IN THE REGION Many of the foreign workers in the gas-rich town are employed by French energy giant Total, with security sources telling news agencies as of Friday that the company has ceased operations in the area and withdrawn all staff. Total planned to invest $20 billion (€16.9 billion) in a liquified natural gas plant located near Palma, but suspended construction on the site last week. The Mozambican military has claimed that the Total plant is protected, yet drone surveillance had reportedly shown that the jihadists were close to the gas site, which is located on the Afungi peninsula. Related: South Africa: 2021-03-30 Islamic State claims deadly attack on northern Mozambique gas town South Africa: 2021-03-27 Ilana Mercer: Americans Should Recall How Foreign-Policy Alinskyites Destroyed South Africa South Africa: 2021-03-25 The president of Malawi's bodyguard amassed dozens of cars and houses Related: Palma: 2021-04-01 African Insurgents Pry Open New Fronts for Jihadist Campaigns Palma: 2021-04-01 Mozambique's extremist violence poses threat for neighbors Palma: 2021-03-31 Rebels leave beheaded bodies in streets of Mozambique town, ISIS fakes claim? Related: Pemba: 2021-03-30 Islamic State claims deadly attack on northern Mozambique gas town Pemba: 2020-11-06 Mozambique: Displaced People Drown Off Cabo Delgado Coast Pemba: 2020-10-23 Tanzania confirms Islamist militants carried out attack near its southern gas fields Posted by: trailing wife 2021-04-04 |
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