Islamic State says it attacked and killed five soldiers in Cabo Delgado

This Saturday, the Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for an attack in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique that killed five soldiers and also said they had beheaded a Christian civilian.

According to information provided by the terrorist group on its propaganda channels, the attack was recorded on video and took place on Thursday in the village of Manhicha in Muidumbe district, leading to the exodus of the population.

Cabo Delgado province has faced an armed insurgency for six years, with some attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, leading to a military response from July 2021 backed by Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). liberation of areas near gas projects.

The conflict has already displaced one million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and nearly 4,000 people have died, according to the ACLED Conflict Recording Project.

On November 22, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi asked for “decisions” on the military’s response capabilities in Cabo Delgado, especially with reservists, given the planned withdrawal of foreign forces supporting terrorist groups on the ground.

“Specific decisions on the response capabilities of the Armed Forces regarding their actions to combat terrorism in Cabo Delgado in the period following the withdrawal of friendly forces from CAMIM. [missão da SADC em Moçambique] and Rwanda,” asked Nyusi at the opening of the XXIV Coordination Council of the Ministry of National Defense.

“To this end, your reflection should also evaluate how best to benefit from reservists by engaging them directly or indirectly in various missions in favor of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

And the current reality justifies this,” he added. Last August, the SADC summit approved a 12-month extension of the Cabo Delgado mission until July next year.

Last July, an assessment mission proposed a complete withdrawal of SAM soldiers from Cabo Delgado by July 2024, noting that the situation in the province is “currently calm” despite prevailing risks.

In its recommendations, the assessment mission advises that the withdrawal of SAMIM should begin gradually from December 15 this year and be completed on July 15, 2024, a day before the end of the extension period determined on Tuesday. On Friday last week the SADC troika. In addition to SAMIM and Mozambican government forces, Rwandan troops are fighting insurgents in Cabo Delgado, operating along the perimeter of the area where gas projects are taking place in the Rovuma Basin.