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Islamic State – Mozambique Province

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Islamic State – Mozambique Province
LeaderAbu Yasir Hassan[1][2]
Dates of operationMay 2022 – Present[a]
Split fromIslamic State Islamic State – Central Africa Province
Group(s)Islamic State Ansar al-Sunna
IdeologyIslamic Statism
Allies
Opponents Mozambique
Rwanda[3][4]
Battles and warssee battles and wars

The Islamic State – Mozambique Province or ISMP is an administrative division of the Islamic State (IS), a Salafi jihadist militant group. Established in May 2022 after splitting from the Islamic State – Central Africa Province in 2022[5], ISMP operates primarily in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province.[6]

Background and Formation

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Since May 2022, the Congolese and Mozambican branches were recognized by IS central command as autonomous units within its network.[7] IS-Central officially separated the Mozambican wing from IS-CAP, naming it the "Islamic State – Mozambique Province".[8][9] The Congolese and Mozambican IS forces continued to maintain links after this split, but also began to "feud" with each other over the distribution of money and communications hierarchies within the IS global network.[9]

Timeline of Attacks

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Main article: Insurgency in Cabo Delgado

2023

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  • 8 August: a Mozambican army compound was attacked by IS operatives, killing 7 Mozambican soldiers. At least 50 assault rifles were seized by IS operatives.[10]
  • 25 August: Mozambique's armed forces have killed Bonomade Machude Omar, also known as Abu Sulayfa Muhammad and Ibn Omar, along with two others, The U.S.A. designated Omar as a terrorist leader of IS-Mozambique in August 2021, He was responsible for attacks in Cabo Delgado, and an attack on a hotel in the town of Palma in March 2021, as well as the Battle of Palma.[11]
  • 15 September: IS entered the village of Naquitengue, near Mocimboa da Praia. After rounding up the villagers they separated and massacred 11 Christians.[12]

2024

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  • 21 January: IS fighters occupy the town of Mucojo in Macomia district after Mozambican soldiers murdered several civilians near the town.[13]
  • 30 January: IS fighters ambush a Mozambican army patrol along the road between Mazeze and Mecúfi in Mecúfi district, leaving at least 8 soldiers dead and 4 vehicles destroyed. IS later released photos of the ambush.[14]
  • 31 January: Mozambican army retook Mucojo on the Macomia coast without a fight.[15]
  • 9 February: IS fighters raided the Mozambican army post in the town of Mucojo and killed 25 soldiers.[15]
  • 16 February: IS fighters occupied Quissanga.[16]
  • 3 March: IS fighters captured the island of Quirimba and killed at least 2 security personnel.[17] Many locals were displaced and fled to the nearby city of Pemba.[17]
  • 24 March: Government forces retook the town of Quissanga and the nearby island of Quirimba after Islamic State fighters withdrew from the area.[18]
  • 10-11 May: IS attackd the town of Macomia, engaging with Government troops from the local military base. Fighting continued until the early afternoon of Saturday, 11 May, when the militants withdrew. Hours later there were other attacks in the villages of Missufine and Cajerene, 70km from Pemba. The attacks resulted in the mass flight of hundreds of local civilians, according to Catholic foundation Aid to the Church in Need.[19]
  • 30 May: Government forces and Rwandan troops claimed to have killed 50–70 IS fighters in district of Mocímboa da Praia, in province of Cabo Delgado.[20][21]
  • 17 September: An attack by joint Rwandan and Mozambique troops on an insurgent base at Quiterajo killed 5 IS fighters.[22]
  • 25 September: Rwandan and Mozambique forces recaptured the town of Mucojo killing 10 and capturing 4 IS fighters.[22]

2025

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  • 18 February: Islamic State terrorists attempted to invade the village of Litamanda in the Macomia district, but local forces repelled the terrorists and killed two of them, according to Cabo Ligado.[23]
  • 19 February: the Islamic State attacked a village just north of the town of Macomia, where they looted, burned homes and killed two civilians. A local source said stolen food from western Macomia was being transported through the Catupa forest to support terrorists on the coast.[23]
  • 20 February: the Islamic State killed at least two members of the armed forces during an attack on a military outpost in Quissanga. Local sources told Mozambican news website Moz24h that the terrorists retreated before entering residential areas.[23]
  • 29 April: Two anti-poaching rangers were killed by IS fighters near Niassa, northern Mozambique.[24]
  • 10 May: Islamic State claimed they attacked Government forces positions near the village of Miangalewa in the Muidumbe district of Cabo Delgado province, killing 11 soldiers, while other accounts put the death toll at 18.[25]
  • 29 May: An attack by IS fighters in an army outpost in Macomia have killed multiple Mozambique soldiers and more than 10 IS fighters.[26]
  • 15 June: A clash between Mozambique Army and IS militants killed 12 IS militants in Niassa province in Montepuez district.[27]
Military situation in Cabo Delgado as of August 2024

Battles and Wars

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Main article: List of wars and battles involving the Islamic State

References

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  1. ^ "Designation of Abu Yasir Hassan as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist". Federal Register. 11 March 2021.
  2. ^ Esau (i_esau), Iain (11 March 2021). "US designates ISIS-Mozambique and its Tanzanian leader as 'terrorists' | Upstream Online". Upstream Online | Latest oil and gas news.
  3. ^ "FDS kill 13 terrorists in Cabo Delgado". AIM. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  4. ^ "Cabo Ligado Update: 27 May-23 June 2024". acled. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  5. ^ Chesnutt, Kate; Zimmerman, Katherine (2022-09-08). "The State of al Qaeda and ISIS Around the World". Critical Threats.
  6. ^ Bofin, Peter (2023-10-30). "Actor Profile: Islamic State Mozambique (ISM)". ACLED. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  7. ^ Kate Chesnutt; Katherine Zimmerman (8 September 2022). "The State of al Qaeda and ISIS Around the World". Critical Threats. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  8. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (6 June 2023). "The Islamic State In Sub-Saharan Africa: The New "Remaining And Expanding"". Hoover Institute. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b Zenn 2023b.
  10. ^ "Spotlight on Global Jihad (August 9–16, 2023)". Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Mozambique insurgency leader Omar killed by armed forces – ministry". News24. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  12. ^ ACN (2023-09-21). "Mozambique: Terrorists kill 11 Christians in attack in the province of Cabo Delgado". ACN International. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  13. ^ Zitamar News (2024-01-24). "Insurgents seize key Cabo Delgado village from Mozambique military".
  14. ^ Zitamar News (2024-02-02). "At least two soldiers killed in insurgent ambush near Pemba".
  15. ^ a b "Mozambique: Terrorists kill 25 Mozambican soldiers in Cabo Delgado – AIM".
  16. ^ Terrorists occupy Quissanga town, 18 February 2024
  17. ^ a b "Cabo Delgado: Insurgentes ocupam ilha de Quirimba e população foge para Pemba". Voice of America (in Portuguese). 2024-03-04. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  18. ^ Martin, Guy (2024-03-24). "Quissanga and Quirimba Island retaken by Mozambique armed forces". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  19. ^ ACN (2024-05-15). "New terrorist attacks in northern Mozambique cause mass flight of civilians". ACN International. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  20. ^ "FDS kill 13 terrorists in Cabo Delgado". AIM. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  21. ^ "Cabo Ligado Update: 27 May-23 June 2024". acled. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  22. ^ a b "Cabo Ligado Update: 16-29 September 2024". ACLED. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  23. ^ a b c "ISM Terrorists Focus Attacks on FADM Forces in Cabo Delgado - Africa Defense Forum". adf-magazine.com. 18 March 2025. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  24. ^ "Two Killed in Jihadist Attack in Northern Mozambique". The Defense Post. 6 May 2025.
  25. ^ Fauvet, Paul. "Terrorists claim deaths of 11 Mozambican soldiers" (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-03.
  26. ^ "Jihadists Ambush Mozambique Army Outpost, Killing Soldiers: Military Sources". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
  27. ^ "Cabo Ligado Update: 2 — 15 June 2025". Cabo Ligado. Retrieved 2025-06-29.

Notes

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  1. ^ Factions of ISIS operated in Mozambique even before the creation of there own province.
  2. ^ Including battles involving ISCAP and Ansar al-Sunna in Mozambique.
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