By Jorge Joaquim
A group of nine community radio journalists have said that they are dying of hunger and thirst after hiding in the woods of Cabo Delgado province for the last 10 days.
The journalists, from Rádio Comunitária São Francisco de Assis, have been in hiding since terrorists attacked and occupied the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish church in Muidumbe district on 31 October, where the already-destroyed radio station was located.
Local radio organisation Forcom says that the journalists are cut off from the outside world and living in unsafe conditions.
“My father was beheaded. We are dying of thirst and hunger, [going] three days without eating anything and I am with my nephews. So we are asking for help,” one of the journalists said in a telephone message quoted by Forcom.
The same group of terrorists have tried to capture the Mieze, Mocímboa da Praia and Macomia prison facilities in Cabo Delgado province, justice minister Helena Kida has said.
She said that the attacks failed when the prison guards held off the terrorists twice and managed to evacuate 89 prisoners to a safe place.
The Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia prisons have been partially shut for security reasons.
