Several others were killed by wild animals, security official says.
Mozambican security forces killed sixteen insurgents this week following direct combat in Cabo Delgado province, the government announced Wednesday.
“[Several] other terrorists died due to attacks by wild animals,” Mr Bernardino Rafael, the Commander-General of the Republic of Mozambique Police, said during a meeting with residents at the administrative post of Bilibiza and the village of Natugo, in the district of Quissanga in Cabo Delgado province.
Mr Rafael also presented to the public four alleged insurgents captured in Quissanga district by the Defence and Security Forces.
Terrorism in Cabo Delgado erupted in October 2017 when about 30 armed men launched a dawn raid on three police stations in Mocimboa da Praia.
Since then, more than 4,258 people have been killed according to conflict tracker ACLED, and more than 820,000 have fled their homes.