Africa News
Soldiers patrol Mozambique's capital following deadly riots
Sep 2, 2010, 12:38 GMT
Maputo - Mozambique's police and military maintained a tight grip on the capital Maputo Thursday, a day after demonstrations over rising food, fuel and power prices left at least four dead, including two schoolchildren.
Police and soldiers travelling in trucks and jeeps patrolled the main avenues in and out of the city, which had been shut down Wednesday by stone-throwing demonstrators.
Flights out of Maputo to neighbouring South Africa and other destinations were also resuming after being grounded Wednesday as the main airport road was transformed into a battleground.
Police say four people died in the riots, during which the police opened fire on stone-throwing demonstrators with live ammunition.
The real toll was believed to be as high as six.
Among the victims were two children, who were shot dead after becoming caught up in a demonstration on their way home from school.
The demonstrations were organized last week in an mobile phone SMS campaign. It was not clear who mounted the campaign.
The riots were provoked by a series of increases in the prices of electricity, bread, water and petrol, which most people in the impoverished former Portuguese colony say they cannot afford.
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