At least 20 civilians and 2 soldiers (in the respective unit), all of Tanzanian nationality, were killed by insurgents. After the attack, the insurgents retreated to Mozambique. The act took place on the night of this Wednesday, October 14, 2020, in which about nine vehicles (one of which, military), a health unit, were charred, as well as numerous houses belonging to local families.
Kitaya Village is located in the north of the Rovuma River and south of the provincial town of Mtwara and the river. Despite being of low flow, the river is popular for crocodiles, a fact that the crossing of the referred river, especially in the beginning of that night, may have been done with the use of canoes anchored by fishermen or facilitators of illegal transits. In fact, some Tanzanian citizens and residents of the village of Kitaya cultivate the land in Mozambique, obtaining short-term (pineapple) and long-term (Cajual) crops from it.
The distance between Kitara and Mtwara (the seventh largest city in Tanzania) is 51 km, unpaved.
Another Pinnacle News source who resides in Kitaya said that the Tanzanian authorities are already, mainly in civilian clothes, informing themselves about what happened and that they could possibly enter Mozambican soil to re-investigate and report on their hierarchy.
“Ndyo! Wametchoma moto nyumba na gary zetu na, sisi timekua tunakymbia ovyo-ovyo ”= It is the truth that our houses and vehicles were set on fire while we were running in bandits, stressed Bynti Habiba Hassane, one of the matrons of this village, who participated this morning, at two of the 22 well-attended funerals.
Tanzânia: Povoado de Kitaya é alvo de insurgentes - PINNACLE NEWS