JOHANNESBURG – French energy giant Total has suspended its gas operations in northern Mozambique following a brazen jihadist attack close to its site that left several people dead, the company said yesterday.
“The remobilisation of the project that was envisaged at the beginning of the week is of course now suspended,” it said in a statement, referring to their Wednesday announcement of a resumption of work in the area.
Militants have seized control of the town of Palma in the northern province of Cabo Delgado following raid launched on Wednesday.
Nearly 200 people, including foreign gas workers, had to be evacuated overnight from a hotel where they had sought refuge.
At least seven people were killed in the violence, according to local media.
Total said none of its staff working at the Afungi peninsula where the project is located, were killed during the attack.
But the company “has decided to reduce to a strict minimum level the workforce on the Afungi site”.
“Total trusts the government of Mozambique whose public security forces are currently working to take back the control of the area,” it said. – AFP, March 28, 2021
