Two people have been reportedly been killed in Mozambique's capital Maputo during protests called by the country's main opposition leader on Tuesday.
AFP news agency reports two separate bodies were lying under blankets in pools of blood in the Matola area of Maputo. There is no official confirmation of the casualties.
The clashes between protesters and police reportedly broke out after opposition leader Venancio Mondlane called for a day-long national shutdown.
Mondlane came second in the October 2024 presidential election. Daniel Chapo of the ruling FRELIMO party was declared winner and sworn in earlier this year.
Opposition march
The opposition leader claims he was cheated of victory and called months of demonstrations in which more than 350 people were killed by police, according to local civil society group Plataforma Decide.
Christmas in Mozambique was overshadowed by violent protests that erupted after a top court ruling in contested elections, leading to 1,500 prisoners escaping from a high-security prison near Maputo.
Earlier this month, at least 14 people were injured when police dispersed an opposition march, according to reports.
Efforts for talks between the government and the opposition have been largely unsuccessful.
