Islamic State claims attack on Palma, but with photo of Mocímboa da Praia – Carta de Moçambique

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Islamic State claims attack on Palma, but with photo of Mocímboa da Praia – Carta de Moçambique

4:17 CAT | 30 Mar 2021

Image: Twitter / @Jasminechic00

On Monday afternoon, five days after the attack on Palma, Cabo Delgado province, the Islamic State (IS) issued a statement claiming responsibility for the deadly attack on the so-called “heart” of the gas projects.

But an AMAQ news agency photograph attached to the statement shows a large group surrounding an individual completely dressed in black, and believed to be their leader, with, in the background, in addition to the usual electricity transmission line poles, a sign indicating the village of Mocímboa da Praia.

This sign, in front of which the terrorists allowed themselves to be photographed, is located at the entrance to the town of Mocímboa da Praia, an area taken over and held by the armed group since August, 2020.

In the statement, which is in Arabic, the Islamic State claims to have killed 55 members of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) and civilians, and to be in control of Vila de Palma.

Around the individual in black are men wielding firearms, some in the uniform of the Armed Forces of Defence of Mozambique. The red and black headbands, scarves of different colours and designs and a white individual also stand out.

Last Sunday, the Ministry of National Defence (MDN) made a public statement about the attacks. MDN spokesman Omar Saranga said that dozens of lives were lost, and that the FDS continued to contest every inch of the strategic village in its efforts to restore order.

In the communication, which was not open to question from journalists, Saranga also said that, at the time of speaking, all FDS positions were still under their (FDS) control.

South Africa’s SABC News on Monday advanced the possibility that perhaps as many as 12 South Africans were among the group that attacked the Palma district headquarters town last week.

Palma: ISIS claim to credit
Note the photo is not from Palma, but from MdP in 2020. A giveaway is the foliage. It looks like they took the photo at the road close to MdP airport. pic.twitter.com/YbuHbuQYDU

— Jasmine Opperman (@Jasminechic00) March 29, 2021