Mozambique: Defence forces foil insurgent attack on Macomia

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Mozambique: Defence forces foil insurgent attack on Macomia

9:38 CAT | 15 May 2025

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: TVM]

Mozambican defence and security forces last night foiled an attempted invasion by a suspected terrorist group in the district capital of Macomia, Cabo Delgado, official sources told Lusa on Wednesday.

According to the source, the incident happened around 11 p.m. (10 p.m. in Lisbon), after strange movements of allegedly armed men were detected at the entrance to the town, leading to the deployment of members of the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) of the Mozambican Police (PRM).

“Yesterday, [Tuesday] no one slept in Macomia, thanks to the UIR that the worst did not happen,” explained the source from Macomia.

Located about 200 kilometres from Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado, the town of Macomia lies along National Road 380, one of the few paved roads in the region. It is a link to the northernmost districts of the province.

Macomia was also the scene, exactly one year ago, of the last major attack by these terrorist groups in Cabo Delgado, with around a hundred men entering the village and looting it for several hours.

Meanwhile, the extremist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a recent attack that reportedly killed 11 members of the Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) in Cabo Delgado, in the north of the country.

According to the announcement made by the terrorist group on its propaganda channels, documented with photographs, the attack, which the Mozambican authorities have not yet commented on, took place in the district of Muidumbe, targeting a FADM position in the village of Miangalewa.

That area has also been the scene of several well-known attacks in recent weeks by terrorist groups, as well as counterattacks by official paramilitary groups and FADM military personnel.

In 2024, at least 349 people died in attacks by Islamic extremist groups in Cabo Delgado province, an increase of 36% over the previous year, according to data recently released by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, an academic institution of the US Department of Defence that analyses conflicts in Africa.

In addition to Cabo Delgado, the scene of these attacks and terrorist activity since 2017, the neighbouring province of Niassa was also the scene of an attack by members of these groups in April, who beheaded two forest rangers.

Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo said on Friday that the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) are achieving their objectives in the pursuit of alleged rebels who attacked the Niassa Special Reserve (REN).

“At this moment, there have been these attacks, but we are working with the FDS, who are on the ground pursuing the terrorists, and the developments we have are that our FDS are indeed achieving their objectives,” said Daniel Chapo.

At issue are attacks on the REN by alleged rebels, which have also left two people missing and more than 1,500 displaced, according to data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The president of Mozambique called for an end to the attacks, saying that Mozambicans want peace for the country’s development.

“We would like to ensure that this reserve is not a place of constant terrorist attacks, but continues to be a tourist destination. To achieve this, we need to work hard to combat terrorism, and our goal is for the country to one day be free of terrorists,” he added.

However, the Mozambican defence minister acknowledged the existence of terrorist groups in the reserve.

“We are aware […] They are terrorists and we are after them,” said Cristóvão Chume.

Source: Lusa