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Mozambican army soldiers patrol the streets on March 7, 2018 in Mocimboa da Praia, Mozambique, after increased security in the area following a two-day attack by suspected Islamists.
PHOTO: Adrien Barbier / AFP
- The Mozambican government has denounced the assault and execution of a naked woman suspected of being an insurgent.
- Disturbing video showed men in army uniforms, who appear to be government soldiers, beating and eventually shooting the victim.
- In May, several other videos were leaked to Amnesty International that allegedly showed soldiers abusing captives allegedly linked to al-Shabab.
Maputo – The Mozambique government on Monday denounced horrific video footage of men in army uniforms beating and executing a naked woman suspected of being an insurgent.
The video, which circulated on social media early Monday, shows what appear to be government troops shouting and marching behind a stripped-down woman.
The men beat the victim several times with sticks before shooting her to death on the side of a road with Kalashnikovs.
“You are from al-Shabab!” Executioners can be heard shouting in Portuguese, referring to an obscure jihadist group that has led a growing insurgency against the government since 2017.
Subsequently, Mozambique’s defense ministry condemned the “horrible” images and called for an investigation to “determine their authenticity.”
In a statement Monday, he said:
The defense and security forces reiterate that they do not agree with any act of barbarism that supports the violation of human rights.
“Acts of this nature must always be denounced by all the forces of society.”
In May, several other videos were leaked to Amnesty International that allegedly showed soldiers abusing captives allegedly linked to al-Shabab.
‘This is pretty creepy’
Since then, the watchdog has accused Mozambique security forces of torturing suspected militants in the northern region of Cabo Delgado, where the insurgency operates.
The government dismissed the accusations last week, saying the violence was carried out by jihadists posing as troops.
Monday’s video was posted by several human rights activists, sparking outrage.
“This is quite chilling,” tweeted Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. “When does this end?”
Military forces have been fighting to regain control of Cabo Delgado, which is home to one of the largest liquefied natural gas projects in Africa.
The militants have launched a series of attacks against towns and cities in the area over the past three years, killing more than 1,500 people and displacing at least 250,000.
The group has grown bolder in recent months, escalating violence as part of a campaign to establish an Islamist caliphate.
A strategic port in the city of Mocimboa da Praia has been occupied by jihadists since August 12.
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