On 28 November 1987 more than 60 people were killed, and scores were left wounded when an army-escorted civilian convoy was attacked by guerrillas from the Mozambique National Resistance Movement (RENAMO). The ambush happened on a Saturday on the main road, 32 kilometres from the Mozambique capital Maputo. According to reports by survivor, Salvador Manuel, rebels attacked the convoy along its length, firing from both sides of the road. Two events of the same nature, before this one, happened on the same road where 330 people lost their lives just 50 miles north of Maputo. Four rebels were killed during the exchange of gun fire between soldiers and rebels. The Mozambican government blamed both these events on South African, who were accused of supporting the rebels. These claims were rejected by the South African government. The attack of 1987 happened almost a year after Mozambican President Samora Machel’s death. Three years before this attack, President Michel signed the Nkomati Accord of 1984 with South Africa, which pledged to end Mozambican support for the African National Congress(ANC) in return for an end to South African support for RENAMO.
latimes, ‘63 Slain as Guerrillas Attack Civilian Convoy in Mozambique’, [online] Available at www.latimes.com[Accessed 28 November 2013]|
Mnamo Novemba 28, 1987, watu zaidi ya 60 waliuawa na wengi kujeruhiwa wakati msafara wa raia uliokuwa ukiandamana na jeshi uliposhambuliwa na wapiganaji wa kivita wa Mozambique National Resistance Movement (RENAMO). Mashambulizi hayo yalifanyika Jumamosi katika barabara kuu ya mji mkuu wa Msumbiji, Maputo. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa za mwokokaji Salvador Manuel, waasi walishambulia msafara huo kwa muda mrefu, wakipiga risasi kutoka pande zote mbili za barabara. Tukio hilo lilitokea mara mbili kabla ya tukio hilo, ambapo watu 330 walipoteza maisha yao katika barabara moja, maili 50 tu kaskazini mwa mji wa Maputo. Waasi wanne waliuawa wakati wa kubadilishana risasi kati ya askari na waasi. Serikali ya Msumbiji ililaumu matukio yote mawili kwa Afrika Kusini, ambao walishtakiwa kuunga mkono waasi. Madai hayo yalikataliwa na serikali ya Afrika Kusini. Mashambulizi hayo yalifanyika mwaka 1987 baada ya kifo cha Rais Samora Machel. Mwaka 1984 Rais Michel alisaini mkataba wa Nkomati na Afrika Kusini, ambao ulikubaliana kumaliza msaada wa Msumbiji kwa chama cha African National Congress (ANC) kwa kubadilishana na kusitishwa kwa msaada wa Afrika Kusini kwa RENAMO. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika ripoti ya ""Satanus Sixty-Six: How Guerrillas Attack Civilian Convoy in Mozambique"" iliyochapishwa na gazeti la habari la The Times, ""mashambulizi ya wapiganaji wa kivita dhidi ya raia wa Mozambique"" yamesababisha vifo vya watu 63."