The Islamic State group said Monday it had seized the coastal town of Palma in northern Mozambique, after days of fighting.
“The caliphate’s soldiers seize the strategic town of Palma” following a three-day attack against military and government targets that killed dozens, the group said in a statement on its Telegram channels.
The jihadist group’s claim came after thousands of survivors of coordinated jihadist attacks in the town fled on boats to the provincial capital, Pemba, according to sources in the city.
What’s behind the conflict?
The region has long experienced instability, but the insurgency involving Islamist militants began in 2017.
Local al-Shabab militia operating in the area are believed to have links to the wider Islamic state group (IS).
High levels of poverty and disputes over access to land and jobs have contributed to local grievances.
But Cabo Delgado’s importance for the government, and a further reason for local frustrations, lies in the rich off-shore natural gas reserves being explored in collaboration with multinational energy companies.
