[ad_1]
French energy giant Total said on Saturday it had evacuated some staff from a major gas project in northern Mozambique after a series of jihadist attacks a few miles away.
The northern province of Cabo Delgado, which has significant gas resources, has been the scene of a bloody jihadist rebellion for more than three years.
However, in recent weeks, attacks have intensified near the gas site on the Afungi Peninsula, several security sources told AFP. Afungi is home to the 16.5 billion euros ($ 20 billion) project.
“The Mozambique LNG project, led by Total, has temporarily downsized on-site in response to the current environment, including the continuing challenges associated with COVID-19 and the security situation in northern Cabo Delgado,” said the company said in a statement.
He did not say how many people were involved, but said around 3,000 people were working at the site at the end of December, most of them employed by contractors.
A security source said the company was trying to move around 100 people to the capital, Maputo, and several airlines were determining the number of flights needed to evacuate all expatriate workers.
Several local workers have also been told to stay at home until further notice, according to several employees and security sources.
December raids
Military sources say the jihadists carried out at least four raids in December just a few miles from the gas project, which is still under construction and is not expected to go live until 2024.
In recent days, members of an armed group known locally as Al-Shabaab – which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group but has no known connection to the group of the same name operating in Somalia – were reported on the way to Afungi.
Rebels and security forces were involved in a Friday night shooting in the village of Quitupo, which is at the gas site, a security source said.
Rebel fighters have been killed, but this is the first time there has been fighting at the 7,000 hectare site itself.
A few days earlier, the rebels had launched several attacks on the village of Monjane, just five kilometers from the gas project site, which is heavily guarded.
The fighting in the north of the country has already claimed 2,400 lives and forced 570,000 people to flee their homes, according to the government.
More than half of those killed were civilians, says the nonprofit ACLED, which tracks data on armed conflict.
Total is the main investor in the gas project and holds 26.5% of the shares. Six other international companies are also involved.
Source link
