Maputo — The governor of the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, Valige Tauabo, has confirmed that the government has captured the Mucojo administrative post from the hands of the islamist terrorists who have been active in the province since 2017.

Mucojo is part of Macomia district, in the north of the province. It has been infested by jihadists for almost four years.

Cited by the independent television station STV, Tauabo said the government recovered Mucojo in August, through a joint operation by the Mozambican and Rwandan armed forces.

Tauabo advised people displaced from their homes in Mucojo not to attempt to return "because we are still establishing a good environment through our defence and security forces and their Rwandan counterparts'.

"First, we must let them clean the place up, because, although the extremists may longer be there, they could have left explosive devices'.

Tauabo pledged there will be "a complete clean-up', and only then could displaced people return to Mucojo.

Furthermore, in addition to hidden explosives, the terrorists themselves have not gone far, but are continuing to launch attacks in the neighbouring district of Muidumbe.

"With the pursuit that is occurring through our defence and security forces, the Local Force, and the Tanzanian and Rwandan forces, the terrorists are cornered', claimed Tauabo. "When, during the pursuit, they go into the communities, the public denounces them, and there is prompt intervention by our forces'.

The governor promised that, in the near future, some of the terrorists will be put on trial, "so that they can say exactly what they were doing'.