Mozambique’s Defense and Security Forces (FDS) are intensifying military operations in the forests of Macomia, Cabo Delgado province, in pursuit of suspected terrorists operating in the area, an official source involved in the field operations told Lusa on Wednesday, September 17.
According to the source, the actions include aerial bombardments, pursuit, and reconnaissance of insurgent movements in the administrative posts of Quiterajo and Mucojo, located around 70 and 40 kilometers from Macomia’s district headquarters, respectively, where operations have been ongoing for nearly ten days.
“Since September 7, the areas of Quiterajo and Mucojo have been the target of military action. There has been reinforcement of equipment, including aerial assets for bombardment,” the source explained, adding that the FDS aim to prevent new attacks and restore security in the region.
However, the fighting has triggered the flight of several residents to Macomia town, fearing reprisals from armed groups. “Some families are leaving out of fear, not because they’ve been harmed. In fact, the forces are providing strong support to residents,” the source noted.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the total number of people displaced by the recent wave of attacks in northern Mozambique has risen to 5,770 in recent days, across three districts of Cabo Delgado. An IOM situation report, with data collected up to September 15, states that the “escalation” of attacks and the “increase in fear and violence” occurred between August 25 and September 11 in the districts of Muidumbe, Mocímboa da Praia, and Montepuez.
The latest surge in insecurity has displaced around 1,471 families: 3,271 people from Mocímboa da Praia, 2,230 from various localities in Muidumbe, and 269 from Montepuez. In just four days, the number of displaced people increased by 1,500.
Of the total displaced, 2,601 are children, 235 are elderly, and 131 are pregnant women, according to the report. By late July, terrorist attacks in Chiúre district had already forced more than 57,000 people to flee, based on earlier IOM data. Cabo Delgado province has faced renewed violence since July, with attacks reported in Chiúre, Muidumbe, Quissanga, Ancuabe, Meluco, and, more recently, Mocímboa da Praia.
The government, through Council of Ministers spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa, condemned the attacks, stressing that “it is the State’s role to pursue, delay, and stop the attacks so that the population suffers as little as possible.”
“We regret this misfortune, but we are not limited to lamentation — that is why we have forces committed to this effort. Additional details will be provided by the security entities on the ground or by central-level authorities,” he stated.
Data from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), an academic institution of the U.S. Department of Defense, reveals that in 2024 alone at least 349 people have been killed in attacks in northern Mozambique, most claimed by the extremist group Islamic State, marking a 36% increase compared to the previous year.
Source: Diário Económico
