Sailing boats are used to help rescue people stranded on beaches as they try to escape the attack on the coastal town of Palma. AFP
Sailing boats are used to help rescue people stranded on beaches as they try to escape the attack on the coastal town of Palma. AFP
Sailing boats are used to help rescue people stranded on beaches as they try to escape the attack on the coastal town of Palma. AFP
Sailing boats are used to help rescue people stranded on beaches as they try to escape the attack on the coastal town of Palma. AFP

British man killed terrorists before fleeing Mozambique attack


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

A dual British citizen shot dead two terrorists involved in an attack in Mozambique before escaping.

More than 100 Al Shabab militants launched a five-day assault on the coastal town of Palma, a base for several companies involved in a new $20 billion natural gas project.

Many people were killed in the attack, including a British contractor.

British-South African citizen Nick Alexander killed two militants before spending two nights crawling through the bush with colleagues before they were rescued.

Fighting raged for the fifth day Sunday in northern Mozambique as rebels fought the army for control of the strategic town of Palma.
Fighting raged for the fifth day Sunday in northern Mozambique as rebels fought the army for control of the strategic town of Palma.

"He saw the commotion with the ambush ahead and got out," his daughter Jayde told The Times.

“There was a government vehicle with an AK-47 in it, so he broke in, got it and shot dead two militants.

"He and two others from the car then ran to hide into the bushes with the gun. They were literally crawling through the bush until they were rescued.”

Fighting was still continuing on Monday between government forces and the ISIS-linked fighters.

A British contractor was killed, The Times reported, as he travelled with more than 60 people in a convoy of 17 vehicles in a bid to escape the attack.

The convoy was attacked and only seven vehicles escaped.

On Sunday, 1,300 people were rescued but dozens of foreign citizens remain unaccounted for.

"Last Wednesday, a group of terrorists sneaked into Palma and launched actions that resulted in the cowardly murder of dozens of defenceless people," said Omar Saranga, a spokesman for Mozambique's Defence Ministry.

He said the aim of the extremists was to threaten the development of the energy projects.

About 180 people, among them some foreign citizens, who were trapped inside a hotel in the north of the town tried to escape in a convoy late on Friday but were ambushed, Mr Saranga said.

He said at least seven people died and security forces continued to face “some pockets of resistance from sporadic terrorist attacks".

French oil company Total is creating Africa’s biggest gas project in Mozambique but work at the plant was suspended on Saturday.

"Total trusts the government of Mozambique, whose public security forces are currently working to take back control of the area,” the company said.

The French energy company, which bought a 26.5 per cent stake in the development for $3.9 billion in 2019, did not say when operations would resume.

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

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Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.