Maputo — On Sunday, a group of five teachers were kidnapped by Islamist terrorists on Regional Road Number 698 (ER-698), between the districts of Mueda and Montepuez, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.
In a report, the Mozambican Police (PRM) explained that the teachers were later released upon payment of a ransom of 185,000 meticais (2,800 US dollars at the current exchange rate).
The teachers were traveling from the town of Mueda to the city of Montepuez to attend a training session. The vehicle in which they were traveling was intercepted in the Nicokwe area by a group of over 80 armed men, equipped with firearms of various calibers and wearing uniforms resembling those of the Defense and Security Forces (FDS), the local militia, and rangers from a safari company.
The terrorists also intercepted vehicles traveling along the same road, including a logging company truck and a passenger transport vehicle. The occupants were also taken into the bush and forced to pay various sums to secure their release.
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Seven passengers who had been traveling in an Isuzu vehicle remain in captivity and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 30,000 meticais per victim for their release.
The victims reported to the authorities that, after their vehicles were intercepted, they were forced to walk approximately 10 kilometers to a mountainous area near the locality of Mirate, where negotiations regarding the ransom payments took place. The total amount transferred to the kidnappers amounted to 389,000 meticais.
