Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, believes that the death of the leader of the islamist terrorist group, known locally as "Al-Shabaab', Bonomade Machude Omar, along with other senior members of the group, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, is the result of continued pursuit of extremists in the places where they are continuing to operate in small groups.

According to the President, who confirmed in Maputo on Friday afternoon the death of Omar, his elimination does not mean the end of the conflict, given the complexity of the terrorist phenomenon.

"However, significant progress had been made by the Defence and Security Forces, with the support of partners such as the SADC Military Mission for Mozambique (SAMIM) and the Rwandan Defence Forces, which culminated in the recovery over the last two years of all the district capitals and towns once occupied by the terrorists', Nyusi said.

According to the Chief of Staff of the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM), Joaquim Mangrasse, who made the initial announcement on Friday, "from the investigation carried out, we have verified, with factual evidence, that the main leader who has directed operations since the outbreak of terrorism in Mozambique, named as Bonomade Machude, also as Ibn Omar, and as Abu Suraka, has been killed'.

Omar has often been described as the brains behind the jihadist raids, and is said to define all targets and the necessary operational logistics.