Mozambique teachers released after kidnapping in Cabo Delgado

On Sunday, five teachers traveling from Mueda to Montepuez on Regional Road ER‑698 in Cabo Delgado province were intercepted by an armed group of more than 80 men disguised in security‑force uniforms. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 35,000 meticais per person and released the teachers after a total payment of 185,000 meticais (about US$2,800). The incident also saw other vehicles commandeered, including a timber‑company truck and a passenger van; seven passengers from the latter remain in captivity with a further ransom of 30,000 meticais each. In total, 389,000 meticais were transferred to the abductors, and traffic on the road was temporarily halted.

The police of the Republic of Mozambique confirmed the ransom payments and continue to search for the remaining captives as the insurgency in the region persists.