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# Five soldiers lynched in riot after killing of civilian in Macomia town
- URL: https://www.zitamar.com/five-soldiers-lynched-in-riot-after-killing-of-civilian-in-macomia-town/
- Published: 2024-07-10T16:27:24.000Z
- Updated: 2024-07-11T11:38:09.000Z
- Description: A mob attacked several members of the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces after soldiers were accused of shooting dead an innocent market trader
- Author: Zitamar News
- Tags: Cabo Ligado, Macomia, FDS

At least five members of the Mozambique Defence and Security Forces (FDS) were lynched and two others injured on 8 July in Macomia town in Cabo Delgado province after soldiers reportedly killed a civilian, local sources told *Zitamar News*. 

The riot began in the Nanga A and B neighbourhoods of Macomia where soldiers were accused of shooting dead a market trader and abandoning his body after he was seen outside around 9pm, breaking curfew. 

"It all happened when the young man, a trader, had gone out to relieve himself outside his tent when he came across the FDS who were patrolling. They shot him in the head and he lost his life on the spot,” a local resident said.

The killing incited a mob to retaliate against the FDS, which attacked and killed at least five soldiers near where the trader’s body was found. Two other FDS members suffered serious injuries and may have been killed as well.

Local people were still demonstrating against the killing the following morning, according to a source. “Two soldiers were caught and tortured and are bleeding. It is not known whether they are alive or not,” the source said.

Traffic was interrupted on the road between Macomia and the provincial capital Pemba, the same source reported. *Zitamar* understands that all shops and businesses in Macomia closed following the riot.

The FDS fired their weapons indiscriminately toward demonstrators, dispersing the crowd, with some taking refuge in the nearby woods, another source from Nanga claimed.

"We are in the bush, the military started shooting… the population fled in fear,” the source said. “We heard that a delegation of chiefs is coming from Pemba. I didn't see the bodies but I heard that soldiers died.”

By the afternoon of 9 July, the violence had abated. "We are now in our homes but the situation is under control. The one civilian killed yesterday has already been buried,” a primary school teacher in Macomia said. “The situation is still worrying because we don't know what will happen.”

The population of the town of Macomia in recent weeks have accused the Mozambican military of abusive behaviour toward civilians, namely extortion, arbitrary arrest and sexual violence, a local source reported.

The Ministry of National Defence of Mozambique said it "profoundly regrets" the killing of the civilian in a statement published on Wednesday. The ministry claimed that the victim was seen carrying an empty box of machine gun ammunition outside after curfew, raising suspicions due to the threat of terrorism. He fled after being questioned by soldiers and was accidentally killed when they attempted to fire "warning shots", according to the statement.

*The article was updated on 11/07/2024 to include the statement issued by the Ministry of National Defence.*