Fifty-nine presumed terrorists were killed on Wednesday, according to a statement released by the government, but it has refused to indicate there is a battle between government forces and jihadists for Mocimboa da Praia.
Part of the lack of information is directly related to both a media blackout and an internet cut in the city.
Mocimboa da Praia, located in the far north of the country, near the Tanzanian border, is a strategic port near a number of natural gas sites.
“It’s the fourth time the insurgents have attacked this city, and it’s important to know that a number of insurgents are originally from that city, so this is strategic, but also emotional, personal,” Eric Morier-Genoud, a researcher at the University of Belfast, told RFI.
“The thing that is different about this attack is that a major part of the population has left and the city has been reinforced by new, special army units, so it’s a bigger victory in that sense,” he says.
“The rebels said a few days ago that they don’t just want to capture the city for a time, but re-capture it permanently,” he adds.
The militants are reportedly linked to the Islamic State armed group (IS) and the alleged capture of the strategic port was seen as a big setback for Mozambican troops.
The country’s neighbors are also worried about the fighting—Tanzania has reportedly stated it would launch an offensive from their southernmost forest bordering Mozambique.
#Tanzania has also said it will launch an offensive against the #IslamicState jihadists in forests along the border with #Mozambique.
— Olivier Guitta (@OlivierGuitta) August 13, 2020
