Violence in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has claimed at least 15 more lives over the last two weeks, according to a new report from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The report, covering late April to early May, details 15 distinct violent incidents, nearly half of which involved militants tied to the Islamic State Mozambique (ISM). This latest surge brings the total death toll since the insurgency began in 2017 to over 6,500 people.
In the northern reaches of the province, extremists clashed with both Mozambican and Rwandan forces in the Nangade and Mocímboa da Praia districts. Militants reportedly killed at least seven Mozambican soldiers and seized a cache of weaponry.
Meanwhile, in the south, a large group of approximately 100 fighters took over two artisanal gold mining sites. After repelling a military detachment, the group moved further south to target civilian and religious infrastructure, causing widespread displacement.
The district of Ancuabe has been particularly hard hit in recent days. Islamic State propaganda channels claimed responsibility for destroying roughly 220 homes, several shops, and a hospital. One of the most significant losses was the total destruction of the historic St. Louis de Montfort mission in Minheuene.
Read more about this topic: Mozambique: suspected terrorists kidnap civilians in Cabo Delgado
Built in 1946, the parish was a landmark of the Catholic presence in the region. The Bishop of Pemba, António Juliasse, confirmed that militants razed the church, the parish house, and a local school.
The escalating conflict continues to threaten both civilian lives and the province’s critical mining and gas industries. Bishop Juliasse noted that since the war began eight years ago, at least 300 Catholics have been killed—many by beheading—and 117 church units have been destroyed. As militants remain active in southern Cabo Delgado, local communities face a persistent threat of kidnapping and further incursions into residential and commercial areas.
