Rebels linked to the Islamic State Group (ISIS) captured a heavily defended port in the far northern Mozambican town of Mocimboa da Praia.
It was one of several attacks on the town – 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of the projects being developed by oil majors such as France’s Total.
This year fighters with links to the ISIS-armed group have stepped up attacks in the region.
The local portal Moz24Horas reported that the port of Mocimboa da Praia “was captured by the terrorists at dawn”.
Mozambique’s defence forces (FDS) later said the rebels had launched “sequenced attacks” in surrounding villages for over a week in an effort to capture the town.
Action to neutralise armed groups
In a statement, the FDS said the port has “fallen” but that it was doing its best to retake control of the town.
“At the moment, there are ongoing actions to neutralise the terrorists that are using populations in the affected areas as shields,” the statement said.
“In the last seven days, the joint command of the security and defence forces carried out relevant offensive action against an attempted occupation of Vila de Mocimboa da Praia by terrorists.”
Meanwhile, Alex Vines, director of the Africa programme at the think tank Chatham House and a Mozambique analyst, believes the rebels are more organised and better armed than the government forces.
“The insurgents are gaining in confidence, [are] better armed and organised, while the government forces are increasingly overstretched and demoralised as Mocimboa demonstrates,” Vines told DPA news.
“This was not an unexpected setback for the government – the Cabo Delgado conflict is now a pattern of offensives and counteroffensives,” he said, referring to the province where the fighters operate.
Over 1,000 killed in northern attacks
Attacks by terrorists in the northern region of Mozambique have already claimed at least 1,300 lives. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) said that more than 250,000 have also been displaced in the process.
The ACLED said that over the past week, “insurgents and government security forces have been in more or less constant running battles in the area”.
The attacks began in Mocimboa da Praia but have since spread to swathes of Cabo Delgado Province in recent months.
The latest attack in the region has been claimed by the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP).
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