Rio Tinto in Mozambique withdraws foreign employees' families over safety

MAPUTO (Reuters) - London-listed Rio Tinto said it was temporarily withdrawing expatriate employees' families from Mozambique over safety concerns but that its coal mining and shipment operations in the southern African state were continuing. The move followed increased clashes in the centre and north of the country between government forces and guerrillas of the Renamo opposition movement. There has also been a spate of kidnappings for ransom in the capital Maputo and other cities.