A terrorist attack on Mocímboa da Praia late Sunday night killed at least six people, reigniting fear in the town that has not seen such bloodshed some years, reports digital news outlet Mozambique Times.
The attack on Mocímboa da Praia, a district capital, marks the first since terrorist forces were expelled in August 2021, after occupying the town for around a year. Renewed violence represents a serious threat to regional stability and to the resumption of the long-delayed US$20 billion TotalEnergies megaproject, located some 80 kilometres north in the neighbouring Palma district.
Local media outlet Moz24h also reported a girl kidnapped by insurgents driving a stolen police truck. “Everyone has fled their homes. Some are hiding in the bush,” one resident told local media.
[See more: Displaced persons surpass 57,000 amid terrorist attacks in northern Mozambique]
Sérgio Cipriano, the administrator of Mocímboa da Praia, told reporters that security forces were pursuing the attackers.
Mocímboa da Praia was the first target of Islamist insurgents in northern Mozambique in 2017, kicking off a reign of terror in the region. Insurgents returned in 2020, seizing the town in March, June and August, where they remained for about a year before being expelled by Rwandan troops.
The area has been considered relatively secure since, guarded by large contingents from the Mozambican and Rwandan militaries. The deadly attack on Sunday, as well as reports of insurgent movements and attacks on nearby villages, now calls that security into question.
