Islamist insurgents are causing mayhem in Mozambique’s northernmost province. Christian leaders insist the cause is not religion but incompetent government

On 12 August, after an infiltration campaign planned with great sophistication, and executed meticulously, Islamist insurgents took control of the port of Mocímboa da Praia, a key gas-industry hub in Mozambique’s northernmost province of Cabo Delgado.

The government in Maputo – led by the Frelimo party since Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975 – announces efforts to retake the port on an almost weekly basis– yet with little sign of any impact on the ground.
The port’s capture represents the greatest coup of an insurgency that has killed at least 1,500 people since 2017, including 800 unarmed civilians, and has internally displaced almost a quarter of a million. The notorious Russian mercenary company, the Wagner Group, withdrew its services from energy companies in the area last year after suffering heavy losses, underlining how well trained and armed the insurgents are.

Cabo Delgado has traditionally been one of Mozambique’s most peaceful regions, attracting many internal refugees during the country’s 1977-92 civil war. It is also blessed with pristine beaches and islands that until recently had been luring increasing numbers of tourists from the growing domestic middle class as well as from neighbouring South Africa.