Mozambican authorities have arrested at least 24 people for violating a Covid night curfew over the weekend in the conflict-hit Cabo Delgado province.

Most of the people arrested were soldiers, some in their uniform, who had been out drinking.

They were disarmed and detained in the provincial capital Pemba.

Provincial police chief Silvestre Zacarias said officers were obliged to use force and detain citizens defying the regulations.

He added that soldiers should set an example in observing health regulations because they had been ordered by the president as the commander-in-chief.

“Unfortunately, we have this situation that you have just witnessed. These are members of the armed forces, acting outside the recommended norms,” he said.

The curfew begins from 21:00 to 04:00 local time.