Attack on major town in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado signals escalation of local Islamic State insurgency

On 23 March, in their most significant attack to date, the Islamic State’s Wilayat Wasat Afriqiyya, or Central Africa province, staged a co-ordinated attack on Mocímbao da Praia town in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique, marking the first such attack on a major town in the country. At 0430 local time, the militants reportedly attacked the town from both sea and land, subsequently seizing the airstrip of Mocímbao da Praia Airport (MZB) and moving to close off regional routes into the city – the N380 and N762 – so as to prevent a swift response by security forces or quick response forces (QRFs) stationed nearby.

On 24 March, the Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency shared the group’s claim of responsibility for the wide-scale raid across its various messaging apps, stating it had attacked five army and police barracks inside the town, and “killed dozens and took war spoils”. It remains unclear whether entire parts of the town fell under insurgent control and initial reports of exfiltration by boat are now understood to be inaccurate: the group’s communique stated that its militants withdrew. Furthermore, footage shared by the group showed the militants’ ability to walk freely on the site of Mocímbao da Praia Airport, showing two bodies, three heavily-damaged police vehicles, and the ongoing looting of a small armoury on site. Both the press release and footage further boasted that the militants were able to seize “a large amount of weapons, ammunition, machinery and equipment”, reportedly including two BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers (APC).

Amaq Agency press release stated “Dozens of army and police were killed and wounded in an attack by Islamic State fighters in the northeast of Mozambique.” (Credit withheld)

Cabo Delgado insurgency