Mozambique: authorities report repelling jihadist attack in the north

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Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced this weekend that he had successfully repelled a major Islamist attack in the city of Macomia last week, the capital of a district in the Cabo Delgado province in the north of the country. He also announced the deaths of several dozen insurgents, including two senior officers.

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Since March, the jihadists have been on the offensive in the province of Cabo Delgado: on the media level first, with a lot of announcements via the channels of the Islamic State organization. And militarily, they managed to conquer three important cities , chief towns of the district.

In the night from Wednesday to last Thursday, they tried to take a fourth capital, the city of Macomia. And after three days of fighting, it was finally the government forces that took over. With a great deal of communication, the authorities announced the death of 78 Islamists, including two officers leading the insurgent group.

► Read also: Mozambique: the local subsidiary of IS ravages two cities in the north

Victory is indeed important, according to Eric Morier-Genoud, professor of African history at Queen's University in Belfast and specialist in the country. Because despite the promises of President Filipe Nyusi, the Mozambican army and police have so far shown themselves unable to restore order. The researcher explains that the state now buys the services of mercenaries from South Africa. Equipped with helicopters and maybe drones, their support would have made the difference.

But the struggle continues . Because in two months, the jihadists have gained ground. They now control half of the province of Cabo Delgado.

For more than two years, a local Islamist sect recently attached to the Islamic State group and designated under the name of "al-Shabab" has been terrorizing this poor region but in the subsoil rich in gas. Violence in the region has left more than 1,100 dead, including 700 civilians, according to the NGO Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (Acled). They have displaced at least 150,000 people, authorities said.

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• Mozambique

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