FEATURE - Ex-Hostage Of Terrorists From Mozambique's Palma Shares Her Experience After Release

JOHANNESBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2021) Mozambican nurse Susana spent over a month in terrorist captivity and shared with Sputnik her recollection of events during and after the notorious takeover of the northern Palma city earlier this year.

Islamist militants, chiefly from the Al-Shabaab group (banned in Russia), have been staging attacks in Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado since 2017. Palma was the latest of many targets.

The coastal town made headlines in late March when militants, believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State (IS, terrorist group, banned in Russia), besieged it. Thousands of local civilians fled, either to other towns or simply to natural constructs of disguise such as bushes. All communication with Palma was cut, and humanitarian organizations were not allowed to enter, making it difficult to estimate how many civilians remained inside.

Palma is located near a major gas project worth $60 billion, which is run by the French energy giant Total. The IS had been hindering operations from resuming there due to territorial claims. Most importantly, terrorists have captured the strategic port of Mocimboa da Praia and, according to Susana, have since made it home.

Susana was one of the Palma civilians who did not manage to escape when terrorists came. She was captured, transported to Mocimboa da Praia and held hostage for ransom. There were nine other women with her.

"Yes, they captured us and we stayed there for 32 days with Al-Shabaab," the nurse told Sputnik.

When terrorists came and Susana heard the shooting, she, like many other local residents, retreated into the bushes.

"I stayed in the bush for two days and on the third day I was captured. I was captured in the bush," the woman recalled.

She said when the insurgents destroyed Palma, they stole vehicles for their convenience, though their movements were guided by strict rules in order to avoid unnecessary attention.

"They managed to take the cars right there in Palma, the companies' cars, and they are driving around as they wish. They walk at night. They don't use the main road; they walk through the woods and on pathways inside the forest," Susana said.

During her transportation from Palma to a hostage camp in Mocimboa da Praia and then to other towns, the nurse said she learned well the terrorists' movements and could assist the authorities with tracking them, but with a precondition that it all be done from the air.

"I already know the crossing points and their routes better now, but if they tell me to go there on foot and show it, I will not accept it. I am afraid of being killed. But if we use an aerial means I am in a position to show it," Susana said.

"I will show you from the starting points to the houses where we were staying. Furthermore, they are very comfortable there and live peacefully, they are free, they are sleeping peacefully in the houses and in the bush during the day; and at night, it is practically theirs. They ride motorcycles, drive cars, which were taken from Palma, they're on the move until dawn, but during the day everyone is asleep for fear of helicopters locating them," she added.

HOSTAGE CAMP EXPERIENCE AND RELEASE

Susana said that insurgents did not mistreat hostages in the Mocimboa da Praia camp.

"I can't lie, I think they are good, they didn't violate us, they fed us normally. We faced them daily. Yes, really," the nurse said.

Mocimboa da Praia, which has been under terrorist control for much longer than Palma, has apparently been transformed to match their needs, as, according to Susana, "those who live there are just like them, no one else is different from them."

"Certainly, there are many there, many," the nurse added.

"They never insulted us, but they always said that 'we are going to go to Zimbabwe' and we are going to go to Pemba, we will kill people there. Those type of threats were constant," Susana said.

All captive women were denied communication with their families, and Susana's mother still does not know that her daughter was released last week. Terrorists simply let some of them go one day, dropping them off in Nangade, from where they took public transport.

Susana said she felt very vulnerable when she was returned into normal world with nothing on her.

"I don't have clothes, sandals or any money at least to pay for transportation," the woman said.

Only eight of the women were let go, while two remained in captivity for ransom, she said. One of the released women, Susan's friend Lourdes, fell sick with malaria � the police are now trying to get in touch with her family.