The Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) announced Monday the occurrence of an armed attack by insurgents on the barracks of the Defense and Security Forces in the village of Mocimboa da Praia district in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

PRM spokesman, Orlando Mudumane said at a press conference in Maputo that the attack occurred in the early hours of this morning, and the Defense and Security Forces have been fighting against those insurgents.

"Today, at 4:30 am, criminals attacked the headquarters town of Mocimboa da Praia. They attacked the barracks of the Defense and Security Forces and hoisted their flag in the village,” said Orlando Mudumane.

Modumane said that insurgents set up barricades at the main entrances to the village, and “right now, they (the insurgents) are in crossfire with the Defense and Security Forces looking to recover Mocimboa da Praia".

The spokesman said efforts are underway to restore order and public security are on the spot and in other places where the insurgents are supposed to have gone.

The village of Mocimboa da Praia is the very place where the series of insurgents’ attacks began in October 2017, which spread to other districts, leading to hundreds of deaths since then.