Mozambique: Suspected militants kill ten people in Cabo Delgado

Event

On Tuesday, May 29, local media reported that suspected members of Al-Shabaab - an Islamist militant group without known links to the Somali group by the same name - attacked a village in the northern Cabo Delgado province in recent days. According to the reports, the militants beheaded at least ten people from the village of Monjane, located near Palma. Local residents said that their village leader was specifically targeted for allegedly providing information to the police about the location of the group.

Context

Several attacks have taken place in the area since October 2017. The violence appears to be driven by resentment among the local Muslim population toward the state. A group of dozens of young men, locally referred to as "Al-Shabaab," or "the youths," is suspected of being behind these attacks. The group has no confirmed ties to the infamous jihadist organization of the same name active in Somalia and, to a lesser extent, in Kenya.

Advice

Individuals present in Mozambique are advised to remain vigilant at all times (especially during public events, as well as in crowded places) and to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.