Terrorists Claim "Toll Booths" on EN380 are Contributions to Islamic Religion
The group of terrorists who last Sunday set up makeshift "toll booths" between Macomia and Silva Macua along the EN380, claim these are meant to collect contributions for the Islamic religion or as a "contribution to Jihad".
Through letters circulated (one in English and the other in Portuguese), the terrorists assert that drivers must stop when encountering "toll booths" on the EN380 and proceed with payment to allow free movement on Mozambican roads from Rovuma to Maputo and from Zumbo to the Indian Ocean.
In the same letter, the group warns that Christian and Jewish drivers must not refuse any payment when stopped at these tolls, under the threat, they write, "of having their heads taken and their vehicles burned".
For Muslim drivers, the group states they should pay when stopped on the EN380 as a form of contribution to Islam.
The letters distributed by the terrorists begin with praise to Allah (God) and a greeting commonly used by Muslims, followed by the header of an alleged "Islamic Government of Mozambique".
It should be noted that last Sunday, a group of 16 armed men set up barricades along the EN380 and subsequently began charging drivers traveling the Silva Macua-Macomia route and vice versa, with cases requiring payments ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 meticais. Due to this situation, the military escort that was previously conducted from Oasse to Macomia headquarters and vice versa, has now been extended to Macomia up to Silva Macua.
