The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) estimates that around 70 fishermen have died since 2024 in “incidents” involving military forces in Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia, in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.
Speaking to Lusa today, ACLED researcher Peter Bofin explained that the most recent case occurred on March 15 in Mocímboa da Praia — one of the districts most affected by terrorist attacks in northern Mozambique — with local reports pointing to 13 fishermen allegedly killed by military forces in that single incident alone.
“Local sources speak of a fishing ban in the area, as was reported in relation to the March 15 attack,” he said, referring to restrictions imposed by the Defence and Security Forces due to terrorist activity in the area.
Read more: Mozambique: TotalEnergies guarantees security in gas megaproject
He added that “before the March 15 incident,” and since January 2024, ACLED had recorded 58 fishermen killed, attributed to the Mozambican Navy, “in incidents off the coast of Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia and in the surroundings of Ibo.” A further two people were killed by the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) of the police in the waters off Palma.
Cabo Delgado province, rich in natural gas, has been the target of extremist attacks for eight years, since the first recorded attack on October 5, 2017 in the Mocímboa da Praia district.
ACLED estimated on March 13 that the province recorded five violent events in two weeks, four involving Islamic State extremists, with 30 deaths, bringing the total to nearly 6,500 since 2017. Of the 2,338 violent events recorded since October 2017, 2,168 involved elements associated with Islamic State Mozambique (ISM).
