Maputo — An unspecified number of border guards from the neighbouring Malawi have raided last Monday a position of their counterpart in the northern Mozambican province of Niassa, where they set fire the local police station, reports Monday's issue of the independent daily 'O País'.
The provincial police command, José Mahunguele, said that Malawian border guards have also used tear gas and firearms during the attack but fortunately without any casualty on the Mozambican side.
According to Mahunguele, the skirmishes started at about four o'clock on the afternoon when Malawian officers raided a police station to demand the return of a bicycle allegedly apprehended by the Mozambican authorities from a Malawian national who had crossed illegally the Mozambican border to buy maize.
The Malawian nationals were told to return the next day by the Mozambican police authorities to pick up the bicycle, a decision that was vehemently refused by the foreigners who wanted an immediate explanation.
The lack of goodwill of the Mozambican side led the Malawian to resort into threats as they left the place, although they did not specify exactly what would do afterwards.
On that same day, the Mozambican police guards were surprised at night by tear gas and gunfire attack that ended with an assault to the local police station, two kilometres away from the borderline separating the two countries.
Still, there are no comments from the Mozambican authorities on the incident.
Monday, 10 August 2009
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