Close to 90 jihardists have surrendered to Mozambican authorities since September when President Filipe Nyusi announced a pardon for Islamic State-linked militants waging a terror campaign in the northern Cabo Delgado province.
Mocimboa da Praia administrator Sérgio Cipriano said the authorities have started the process of reintegrating the former terrorists into society since they “are children of Mocimboa da Praia who return to their homes, to their origins.”
“We ask communities to welcome the repentant as brothers, forgive all wrongs done, leave the past and pick up a new page,” Cipriano said.
The militants have positively to Nyusi’s pardon for Mozambicans who are allegedly members of a terrorist group which has been staging attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado since 2017.
The young people are recruited from the districts of Cabo Delgado with promises of employment.
Cabo Delgado province has a population of 1,893,156 people spread over its 77,867km² in 16 districts.
The militants have carried out abductions, beheadings and the burning of homes in the province forcing hundreds of thousands to flee for their safety over the past five years.
JN/APA