Africa Monitor Intelligence

Mozambique: Risk of Regionalization of Cabo Delgado Conflict

The coastal city of Mtwara, in southern Tanzania and c. 60 km north of the village of Palma, was targeted in the last week by an attack from Islamic-inspired armed cells from Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, according to consulted sources and analysis of insurgent records. The natural gas project comprised of Area 1 and 4 consortia is located near Palma, on the Afungi peninsula.

The goal of the attack is still undefined, but it denotes that the insurgents have, on the one hand, the operational capacity to “regionalize” the conflict, making more assertivethe message of Islamic State (IS) propaganda and its regional expression, Islamic State for the Central African Province (ISCAP), as well as the vote of obedience of cell members on the ground. In a video released on 19.OCT through its spokesman ABU HAMZA AL-QURASHI, ISIS referred specifically to Mozambique and the insurgents' vote of obedience.

Tanzania has shown a reluctance to become directly involved in the Cabo Delgado conflict, offering limited support and remaining discreet about possible regional involvement despite bilateral border control and cooperation agreements in the field of Security and Defense, providing for the exchange of information and the carrying out of joint operations between the two police forces. READ MORE