Southern African leaders concerned by Mozambique's rebels

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Five southern African leaders expressed their concern at the extremist violence in northern Mozambique and said they will consider 'œa proportionate regional response'ť at another summit in three weeks.

Issuing a communique in Mozambique's capital, Maputo, Thursday, the African leaders 'œnoted with concern, the acts of terrorism perpetrated against innocent civilians, women and children'ť in the Cabo Delgado province and 'œcondemned the terrorist attacks in strongest terms; and affirmed that such heinous attacks cannot be allowed to continue.'ť

The presidents of Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe met with President Filipe Nyusi, following the prolonged assault in recent weeks on Mozambique's northern city of Palma. The leaders met as part of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community. known as SADC.

A team of technical experts will be sent to northern Mozambique to assess the situation and recommend what action should be taken by the group. The regional bloc has been criticized for failing at previous summits to agree upon specific actions to combat Mozambique's crisis, which threatens to spread instability in the region.

More than 2,600 people have been killed and 670,000 displaced since the rebel insurgency started in 2017, creating a massive humanitarian crisis, according to U.N. agencies.

Nyusi, in an address to Mozambique, said his government has asked for assistance from neighboring countries and other international powers, but it does not want to compromise its sovereignty.

Nyusi announced Wednesday that government forces had regained control of Palma, after a prolonged battle with the rebels. More than 100 of the well-armed rebels attacked Palma on March 24 and held more than half of the strategic center for more than 10 days.

'œThe terrorists have been expelled from Palma. We do not intend to proclaim victory because we are in an ongoing fight against terrorism, but we are sure that if we are united, we will win,'ť Nyusi said, speaking in Portuguese on state media.

At least 50 people were killed, including several who were beheaded, in the rebels' assault on Palma and thousands fled the port city, which had more than 70,000 residents before the rebel attack.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was accompanied by his defense, intelligence and foreign affairs ministers.

'œSADC is deeply concerned about the continued terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado, especially for the lives and welfare of the residents who continue to suffer from the atrocious, brutal and indiscriminate assaults,'ť Ramaphosa's spokesman Tyrone Seale said in a statement Thursday.

Last week South Africa sent military personnel to evacuate its citizens who were trapped in Palma. The South African forces also carried back the remains of Adrian Nel, a South African who was killed in the assault. He had been doing contract work in Palma since January, according to local reports.

The rebel attack on Palma brought the French oil and gas giant, Total, to completely withdraw its staff and close operations in its multi-billion dollar investment a few kilometers (miles) from Palma.