Mozambique's former rebel group, Renamo, says it is ending its 1992 peace deal with the ruling Frelimo party, raising fears of renewed violence in the country.
Renamo officials say they are making the move because government forces captured a base where their leader, Afonso Dhlakama, was staying. They say Dhlakama escaped during Monday's fighting.
The defense ministry confirmed earlier Monday that its forces had taken over the base in a remote part of the Gorongosa mountains. The ministry said it attacked the base in response to an assault by suspected Renamo fighters against a government military unit last week.
The two sides have carried out several deadly attacks against each other in the past year.
Renamo, which is Mozambique's main opposition party, fought Frelimo during a 15-year civil war that ended in 1992.
The country has been mostly peaceful since then, but tensions between the two groups have been rising. Last October, Renamo's leader, Dhlakama, set up camp in the Gorongosa mountains, raising fears that Renamo was returning to military tactics.
Renamo officials say they are making the move because government forces captured a base where their leader, Afonso Dhlakama, was staying. They say Dhlakama escaped during Monday's fighting.
The defense ministry confirmed earlier Monday that its forces had taken over the base in a remote part of the Gorongosa mountains. The ministry said it attacked the base in response to an assault by suspected Renamo fighters against a government military unit last week.
The two sides have carried out several deadly attacks against each other in the past year.
Renamo, which is Mozambique's main opposition party, fought Frelimo during a 15-year civil war that ended in 1992.
The country has been mostly peaceful since then, but tensions between the two groups have been rising. Last October, Renamo's leader, Dhlakama, set up camp in the Gorongosa mountains, raising fears that Renamo was returning to military tactics.