- Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Friday morning confirmed that Islamist terrorists have occupied the town of Macomia, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
- In recent weeks there have been reports of attacks by insurgent groups in various villages and on the roads of Cabo Delgado
The jihadists occupied the town early on Friday morning, after an exchange of fire between Mozambican troops and the terrorists.
A survivor of the attack, cited by the independent television station STV, said the attackers came into the town at about 05.00. He knew nothing more “because we are hiding in the bush”. With this attack, the N380 road to the northern part of Cabo Delgado, and on towards Tanzania has been cut.
Macomia has come under repeated terrorist attack. The jihadists occupied the town for almost a week in May 2020, and left it largely in ruins. Nyusi gave few further details, but said he is in contact with units of the Defence and Security Forces who are fighting against the Islamists.
The French multinational petro giant, TotalEnergies, was in the process of building a plant in Alfungi, Cabo Delgado, to produce and export natural gas, valued at US$20 billion (around €18.6 billion), but had to suspend and evacuate their plant in 2021 due to the terrorist attacks. The project in under force majeur call by TotalEnergies. Read more
Construction camp at Afungi LNG site now abandoned, in Northern Mozambique. Image credit: TotalEnergies
The new movements and attacks by rebel groups began around two months ago, causing new waves of displaced people from the villages of Mazeze, Chiúre-Velho, Mahipa, Alaca, Nacoja B and Nacussa. Residents left their villages and travelled more than 20 kilometres along the National Road (N1), until they crossed the Lúrio River, on the border with Nampula province, in search of refuge in the district of Eráti (Namapa).
There have been reports of attacks by insurgent groups in various villages and on the roads of Cabo Delgado, including approaches to vehicles, kidnapping of drivers and demands for money from the public to travel on some roads. Last month, the extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack in Macomia, Cabo Delgado, which killed at least 20 people, one of the most violent in several months.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
