Maputo — The government of Mozambique has ordered the closure of three mosques in the northern city of Pemba after deadly attacks which it blames on Muslim extremists, press reports said on Tuesday. On October 5 and 6, a group of armed men attacked three police stations in Mocímboa da Praia, a town close to the Tanzanian border lying in the heart of a gas-rich region. Local police said 14 attackers were killed, along with two policemen and a civilian. Three mosques in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province, have been shut and the government may extend the measure to other towns, provincial official Álvaro Gonçalves was quoted as saying by the government-run newspaper Notícias. The closures "only affect mosques that had some contact with the group of people involved in the events of Mocímboa da Praia", Gonçalves said. Mozambican authorities have blamed the attacks on "extremist Islamist sects" active in the region and bent on "spreading disorder". The president of the Islamic Co...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.