JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Five southern African leaders expressed their concern at the extremist violence in northern Mozambique and said they will consider “a proportionate regional response” at another summit in three weeks. Issuing a communique in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, Thursday, the African leaders “noted with concern, the acts of terrorism perpetrated against innocent civilians” in the Cabo Delgado province and “condemned the terrorist attacks in strongest terms … such heinous attacks cannot be allowed to continue.” The presidents of Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe met with President Filipe Nyusi, following the prolonged assault on Mozambique’s northern city of Palma. The leaders met as part of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community. known as SADC.
