Maputo — The Mozambican police are holding 78 illegal migrants, mostly Somali citizens, in the central city of Beira, according to a report in Wednesday's issue of the Beira daily paper, "Diario de Mocambique".

The police presented the group to reporters on Tuesday. In addition to 56 Somalis, there are nine Bengalis, six Pakistanis and three Ethiopians. There are also single individuals from Zimbabwe, Senegal, Angola, and Jamaica. 31 of the Somalis are children aged between 10 and 17.

According to the Sofala provincial police spokesperson, Mateus Mazibe, all the foreigners, with the exception of the Zimbabwean, entered Mozambique from Tanzania, and moved southwards through the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Zambezia, before crossing the Zambezi to enter Sofala in Caia district.

14 of the group were detained on Monday, as they attempted to leave Sofala and enter Inhambane province by the bridge over the Save river. It seems fairly clear that for this group Mozambique was just a corridor, and their true destination was South Africa.

Indeed, some of them said as much to the police. Many of the Somalis, said Mazibe, "told us they are fleeing from the war in their country, and were in Mozambique in transit to South Africa".

The 14 arrested at the Save bridge were in the company of a Mozambican who has also been detained, and charged with connivance at the illegal entry of foreigners.

Mazibe said the police are now working with the immigration authorities to arrange the repatriation of the 78 detainees.