I honestly don't understand how you can be so blinkered, looking for dregs at the bottom of every empty pint glass like they're still half full and will keep the party going. Tanzania's LNG project is irrelevant to the disgruntled, rebellious Portuguese speaking Cabo Delgado locals.
; civilians belonging to these peoples have expressed sympathy for the insurgents. In general, the province lacks infr "Crise au Mozambique: «l'insurrection au Cabo Delgado a des racines locales et
Country borders, ethnic borders matter, above all else history matters. For whatever reason the natives of Cabo Delgado have gone from dissolutioned to disgruntled to rebellious to terrorist ... although it's true some Tanzanian radicals have joined the cause (trouble makers are attracted to trouble). While religion does play a fundamental role in the conflict, analysts believe the most important factors in the insurgency are widespread social, economic and political problems in Mozambique.
Then you go cherry picking references as usual, that Tanzanian LNG project has been on the books almost as long as Corridor 1 and the unicorn railway line. Here's an article from 2019 from the Tanzanian government saying the $30B LNG project delayed from 2014 is going to start in 2022.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tanzania-lng-idUSKCN1SY1TUHere is a week old article spelling out that in fact no agreement from any international companies has been reached to build the $30B LNG project, only that the government has reumed talks
“We expect to conclude negotiations for a number government agreement and review production sharing agreements by June next year. Compensation process have been finalized to pave way for the project,” ..... "President Suluhu ... ordered the resumption of negotiations with the companies in May, about four months after Equinor’s decision to take a US $982m impairment on the project following failure to settle fiscal and commercial terms with Tanzania."
https://constructionreviewonline.com/news/tanzania/construction-of-us-30bn-lng-project-in-tanzania-to-begin-in-2023/Like I said, every company/country with gas fields is now crapping themselves if they don't get developed now it will become stranded and left in the ground for ever as the green energy revolution and de-carbonisation closes the window. Tanzania who wanted extortionate royalties from any resource development is now willing to bend over for any investment in LNG, queue surprise. So no, why would anyone risk investing in Cabo Delgado LNG when the market is about to be over supplied and the price pushed down to marginal prices? Maybe... maybe not, yet you are pushing 'for certain'
Then you go on about "there is only 800 terrorists" involved like that is a pittance, what can 800 people do in the face of a $30B investment ? Read the list below and references linked for an idea of what only 800 terrorists are capable of... then consider if in fact it's bigger than just 800 people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Cabo_Delgado- On 5 October, a pre-dawn raid targeted 3 police stations in the town ofMocímboa da Praia. It was led by 30 armed members, who killed 17 people, including two police officers and a community leader. 14 of the perpetrators were captured. During this brief occupation of Mocímboa da Praia, the perpetrators stole firearms and ammunition and told residents that they reject state health and education, and refused to pay taxes. The group is said to be affiliated withAl-Shabaab, theAl Qaeda-affiliated Islamist extremist group situated and operating in mostly the southern regions of Somalia.[42]
- On 10 October, police detained 52 suspects in relation to the attack on 5 October.[43]
- On 21 October, a pre-dawn skirmish took place between the group and government forces in the fishing village of Maluku, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Mocímboa da Praia. As a result, many locals fled the village.[44]
- On 22 October, further skirmishes occurred near Columbe village, about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) south of an installation ofAnadarko Petroleum.[44]
- On 27 October 2017, the Mozambican police confirmed the arrest of 100 more members of the group, including foreigners, in relation to the attack on 5 October.[45]
- On 24 November, in the northern Mozambican province ofCabo Delgado, the government ordered the closure of three mosques located inPembaand in the neighbourhoods of Cariaco, Alto Gigone and Chiuba, which were believed to have a connection withIslamic fundamentalism.[46]
- On 29 November, the group attacked the villages of Mitumbate and Maculo, injuring two and killing at least two people. The two deaths were bydecapitationanddeath by burning. According to local authorities, the terrorists also destroyed a church and 27 homes.[47]
- On 4 December, the district government of Moçímboa da Praia in northern Mozambique named two men, Nuro Adremane and Jafar Alawi, as suspected of organising the attacks by an armed group against the police in October. Both men were Mozambican nationals. The district government stated that both men studied Islam inTanzania,SudanandSaudi Arabia, where they allegedly also received military training.[48]
- On 17 December, a successful assassination attempt was committed on the National Director of Reconnaissance of the Police Rapid Intervention Unit.[49]
- On 26 December, Police Spokesman Inacio Dino announced the commencement of counter-insurgency operations in the forests surrounding Mutumbate, in Cabo Delgado province. Since the amnesty for surrendering expired, stated that 36 Tanzanian citizens would be targeted by the operations.[50]
- On 29 December, the independent Mozambican newspaper "O Pais" reported that Mozambican paratroopers and marines attacked the village of Mitumbate via air and sea, regarding it as a stronghold for the insurgents. The aftermath of the attack left 50 dead, including women and children, and an unknown number injured.[51]
- On 3 January, Mozambican police announced that the attacks on December 29 were classified as acts of terrorism.[52]
- On 13 January, a group of terrorists entered the town of Olumbi in the Palma district around 8pm and fired into a market and a government administrative building, killing 5.[53]
- On 28 January, a video appeared on social media showing six Islamist extremists dressed in civilian clothing and appealing to Mozambicans to join them in the fight for the values of Islamic doctrine and to establishIslamic law. The video was in both Portuguese andArabic.[54]
- On 12 March,Radio Moçambiquereported that an armed group attacked the village of Chitolo, burning down 50 homes and killing residents in the process.[55]
- On 21 March, residents of the village of Manilha abandoned their homes after witnessing armed men carrying out attacks in the surrounding area on the banks of the river Quinhevo.[56]
- On 20, 21 and 22 April the group attacked the villages of Diaca Velha, near the boundary with Nangade district as well as the village of Mangwaza in the Palma district. Looting houses, burning four houses and killing one person and taking three hostages. However pursuit operations were launched on 22 April by Mozambican security personnel capturing 30 jihadist in the process.[57]Meanwhile, aSouth Africannewspaper reported that about 90 militants belonging to theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levanthad infiltrated northern Mozambique, citing unnamed intelligence sources. The Mozambican government promptly denied this report as baseless.[58]Nevertheless, theAfrica Unionreported in May that it had confirmed the presence of ISIL forces in Mozambique.[10]
- On 27 May, ten people, including children, were beheaded in the village of Monjane in the Palma district of Cabo Delgado province. Locals attribute the violence to al-Shabab, a terrorist group founded in 2015 (no relation to theSomali terrorist group al-Shabab).[59]Twelve days later, the U.S. Embassy in Mozambique warned American citizens to leave the district headquarters of Palma, citing a risk of another imminent attack.[60]
- On 3 June, five civilians were decapitated in an attack on the village of Rueia in the Macomia district.[61]
- On 5 June, six men armed with machetes and guns killed seven people and injured four others and set dozens of homes on fire in the village of Naunde in the Macomia district.[61][62][63]
- On 6 June, at least six people were killed and two seriously injured when terrorists armed with knives and machetes attacked the village of Namaluco in the Quissanga district. The assailants also burned down a hundred houses.[64]
- On 11 June, terrorists armed with machetes and firearms attacked the village of Changa in the Nangade district in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, killing four people. The attackers also burned down several houses.[65]
- On 12 June,a group of armed men attacked the village of Nathuko in the Macomia district in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. The terrorists decapitated a villager, burned down several houses and killed all the animals.[66]
- On 21 September, 12 people were killed, 15 injured, and 55 houses were burned by jihadists in the village of Paqueue in the province ofCabo Delgado. 10 of the victims were shot to death and 2 were burned to death, with at least one of the victims being decapitated post-mortum.[67]
- On 3 November, suspected Ansar al Sunna insurgents looted houses and set on fire at least 45 houses in an isolated village in the Macomia District, no casualties were reported in the incident.[68][69]
- On 7 December 30-year-old Mustafa Suale Machinga was captured by local residents and referred to authorities in Litingina village inNangade Districtin Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province. Machinga a former member of the Mozambican armed forces was captured after being accused by residents of leading the group responsible for Islamist militant-inspired attacks in the zone.[70]
- Sometime in January or early February 2019, security forces captured Abdul Rahmin Faizal, a suspected insurgent leader of Ugandan nationality.[14]
- On 8 February, Islamist fighters attacked Piqueue village in Cabo Delgado, killing and dismembering seven men, and kidnapping four women.[71]
- AfterCyclone Kennethhit Mozambique on 25 April, resulting in much devastation, the rebels initially halted their attacks. On 3 May, however, they struck once again by destroying the village of Nacate, Macomia District, killing six civilians. In the following weeks, the Islamists increased their attacks, raiding and burning several villages such as Ntapuala and Banga-Vieja in Macomia District, as well as Ida and Ipho in Meluco District. They also carried out ambushes, and told locals to abandon their homes. At least two attacks targeted workers ofAnadarko Petroleum, aUnited States-headquarteredhydrocarbon explorationcompany.[72]
- On 4 June, ISIL claimed that its "Central Africa Province" branch had carried out a successful attack on the Mozambican Army at Mitopy in theMocímboa da Praia District.[26]At least 16 people were killed and about 12 wounded during the attack. By this point, ISIL considered Ansar al-Sunna as one its affiliates, though how many Islamist rebels in Mozambique are actually loyal to ISIL remains unclear.[1]
- On 3 July, an attack by Islamists inNangade Districtkilled seven people, including civilians and a policeman. On 6 July ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack.[73]
- On 25 September, Russian military hardware, namely twoMi-17 helicopters, was delivered via aRussian Air ForceAn-124(registration RA-82038) transport aeroplane which landed atNacala.[74]The Russian and Mozambican governments had previously signed an agreement on military and technical cooperation in late January 2017.[3]
- In early October, the Mozambican military launched several counter-insurgency operations with the support of Russian mercenaries anddefense contractorsfrom theWagner Group. The rebels were pushed back in many areas of Cabo Delgado, and forced to retreat into the woods.[75]In addition, 34 individuals were detained while traveling fromNampulato Cabo Delgado in order to join the ISIL-affiliated insurgent group.[76]The rebels retaliated by killing seven Russian mercenaries as well as 20 Mozambican soldiers during two ambushes. The attacks were attributed to the Islamic State's Central Africa Province.[77]
- In November, a number of government troops and 5 fighters from the Wagner Group were killed in an ambush, with ISIL claiming responsibility for the attack.[78][79]
- 23 March:Mocímboa da Praiawas captured by Islamist militants[80]in a coordinated attack from land and sea. The rebels destroyed government buildings and raised aJihadist flag, but refrained from targeting civilians. Instead, the insurgents distributed food and looted goods to the locals,[19]and withdrew from the city later that day.[81]
- 25 March: rebels raided the capital ofQuissanga District,[82]followed by several more villages.[19]
- 7 April: militants killed 52 villagers in Xitaxi village, who refused to join them.[citation needed]Islamic State's Central Africa Province was regarded as responsible for the massacre.[83]On the same day, Mozambican security forces reportedly killed 39 militants during an attempted attack on Muidumbe village.[84]Meanwhile, several local rebels declared their intention to establish a caliphate in northern Mozambique.[83]
- 10 April: security forces allegedly killed 59 rebels during a clash on theQuirimbas Islands.[84]
- 11–13 April: Mozambican security forces reportedly killed 31 insurgents during operations onIboisland.[84]
- 24 April: the Mozambican government admitted for the first time that Islamic State followers were active in the country and involved in the insurgency.[83]
- 14 May: Mozambican Interior MinisterAmade Miquidadeclaims that the government forces had killed 50 insurgents in separate incidents in the northern part of Cabo Delgado Province.[85]
- 28 May: around 90 Islamist fighters attacked the town of Macomia and raised the black standard flag.[86]
- By June: South AfricanSANDFspecial forces had become active in Mozambique, assisting local security forces against the local rebels.[22]
- 1 June: Government forces recaptured Macomia killing two jihadist leaders.[87]
- 27 June: Mocímboa da Praia was again captured by Islamist militants,[88]with IS-CAP claiming to be responsible. Many local civilians consequently fled the town. On the same day, other rebels ambushed workers beloning to Fenix Constructions Service Lda, a private construction firm subcontracted by oil and gas companyTotal S.A., killing at least eight employees.[89]
- 30 June: Government forces recaptured Mocímboa da Praia.[90]
- 25 July: Islamic State-aligned militants killed two civilians in Chai village near Macomia.
- 26 July: Government forces recaptured Chai.[91]
- 9 August: Insurgents captured Awasse.[92]
- 11 August: ISCAP rebels once again took control of Mocímboa da Praia after aseveral days-long offensivewhich resulted in the death of over one hundred Mozambican troops.[93][94][95]
- 13 August: A refugee ship coming from Nkomangano was shot at by Government forces sinking it killing 40 civilians.[96]
- 8 September: Insurgents captured two islands, Mecungo andVamizi, killing one person.[97]The rebels evicted all locals from the islands, and declared them part of their territory. In addition, the ISIL forces declared Mocímboa da Praia the capital of their province.[98]
- 24 September: Mozambican soldiers repelled an insurgent attack against the village of Bilibiza.[99]
- 26 September: Mozambique requests assistance from theEuropean Union(EU) in combating the insurgency.[100]
- 26 September: Mozambique claims to be in control of Mocimboa da Praia, despite not having a physical presence in the city.[101]In addition, the tourist island of Vamizi is reported to have been recaptured by Mozambican forces, and 50 soldiers are reportedly stationed there.[101]
- 29 September: Mozambican authorities report that four insurgent attacks were launched against the villages of Chai, Mucojo, Bilibiza, and Cagembe, killing over a dozen people. The militants also attacked a security post in Naliendele, killing several civilians and two Mozambican soldiers.[102]
- 30 September: The United States reportedly requests Zimbabwe to assist Mozambique in combating the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, despite having previously imposed sanctions.[103]
- 30 September – 6 October: Insurgents took control of Mucojo administrative post and several villages. Local population fled.[104]
- 14 October: In the first heavy attack outside Mozambique by local terrorists, hundreds of Islamic State and Ansar-al-Sunna members attack a village inMtwara,Tanzania, killing 20 civilians and damaging properties.[105]
- 15–17 October: Mozambican security forces claim to have recaptured the region of Awasse and killed over 270 ISCAP insurgents without suffering any casualties of their own. Seven truckloads of weaponry as well as several militants were reported captured.[106]However no proof has been provided and this claim has been disputed by others.[107]
- 22 October: The EU agrees to assist Mozambique in combating the insurgency in Cabo Delgado.[108]
- 28 October: The Mozambican government reports that the army has captured several insurgent hideouts in the woods and are advancing on a major insurgent base, nicknamed "Syria", in Cabo Delgado.[109]
- 30 October: A refugee ship carrying 74 refugees capsized near Ilha Makalowe killing 54 people.[96]
- 1 November: Islamists capturedMuidumbe.[110]
- 6 November: Militants are reported to have beheaded over 50 people in an attack on Muatide village.[111]
- 11 November: Local media in Mozambique reports that Islamist rebels captured nine towns over the previous two weeks.[112]They were also advancing on the strategically significant town ofMueda.[20]
- 12 November: Mozambican authorities detain 12 Iraqi nationals for supposed links to Islamist insurgents after discovering numerous weapons and other equipment in their possession.[113]
- 14 November: TheUnited Nations Human Rights Commissioner,Michelle Bachelet, calls for an international response to the Cabo Delgado insurgency.[114]
- 17 November: ISIL insurgents reportedly threatened to attack the town of Mueda, warning all residents to evacuate the area by November 20.[115]In addition, the UN's migration agency reports that 33,000 people have been displaced in just one week due to the insurgency.[116]
- 19 November: Over 1,000 Mozambican troops recapturedMuidumbe District, killing 16 militants.[117][118]
- 22 November: Mozambique and Tanzania announce the launch of a joint military operation against Islamic insurgents in Cabo Delgado.[119]
- 26 November: Insurgents once again captured Namacande, Muidumbe district capital, and Muatide.[120]
- 2 December: President Nyusi meets with several US counter-terrorism officials to discuss combating the insurgency in Cabo Delgado[121]
- 3 December: Malawi's president announces that troops from theMalawian Defence Forcewill be sent to Mozambique to assist in anti-insurgent operations.[122]
- 4 December: Militants ambush a convoy of Mozambican troops in the village of Muidumbe, killing 25 soldiers in an intense firefight before retreating into the woods.[123]
- 8 December: Government forces have claimed to have recaptured Quissanga village.[124]
- 12 December: Insurgents went on a shooting spree through Nangade district. Traveling by motorbike, the attackers killed 14 civilians and destroyed four vehicles across the villages of Namiune, 25 de Setembro, Naleke, Chicuaia Nova, Litingina, and Lukuamba.[125]
- 15 December: Government forces attacked Awasse but were forced to retreat by insurgents.[126]
- 29 December: ISCAP militants attacked the village of Monjane, forcing the local population to flee the area.[127]
- 7 January: ISCAP militants attacked the coastal village of Olumboa, Macomia district. There, they captured 13 civilians. Of those captured, two escaped and at least seven were beheaded by the insurgents.[128]
- 16 January: A football team travelling from Mueda to Palma were ambushed by insurgents, leaving 5 people dead. On the same day, government forces launched an offensive operation in Ntuleni, Palma district, killing an unknown number of insurgents, who were also using civilians as human shields.[129]
- 19 January: Insurgents attacked a vehicle transporting cans of gasoline to Palma as it made its way through Pundanhar, Palma district. Some passengers managed to flee. Insurgents killed three civilians and burned the car.[130]
- 21 January: A small group of insurgents raided the village of Namiune, Nangade district. They beat and then beheaded a village leader and kidnapped four boys aged between 10 and 12.[131]
- Also on January 21: IS insurgents attacked the town of Mandimba, occupying the town until 26 January. Whilst in the town, insurgents reportedly killed 1 civilian and 2 policemen in addition to looting the town. During the occupation, militants killed 3 civilians the town of Namiune.[132]
- 30 January: On 30 January, militants attacked the village of Nkonga, Nangade district, just west of the border with Mocimboa da Praia. No casualties have yet been reported from the attack, but insurgents stole food and burned homes in the village. Insurgents also returned the next day and renewed their assault.[132]
- Unknown date(Late January): There were clashes between government-backed militias and IS militants in Panjele, Mocimboa da Praia district, leading to the deaths of 3 government-backed militiamen and an unknown number of insurgents.[132]
- In mid February: state newspaper Notícias reported that only 6,294 young people from Cabo Delgado have been conscripted into the military in the current conscription period, which runs from the beginning of January to the end of February. The military's target was to sign up 14,952 new soldiers from the province.[133]
- 19 February: insurgents attacked the village of Quionga in northern Palma district near the Tanzanian border. According to a source quoted by Pinnacle News, 30 insurgents were involved in the attack and the raiders remained in the town until the next morning. Insurgents killed four people in Quionga, burned homes — including that of the head of the Quionga administrative post — and looted food in the village.[134]
- 22 February: Militants attacked Ingalonga, Nangade district, beheading at least 2 people. On the same day, insurgents also attacked Mitope, Mocimboa da Praia district, beheading 3 men and taking 3 women hostage, one of which was later released.[135]
- 25 February: insurgents attacked the village of Luneque, Nangade district, killing at least 4 civilians and forcing several others to flee.[135]
- 26 February: insurgents attacked Quirinde, Palma district, killing 7 people, 3 of which were beheaded.[135]
- 1 March: insurgents began to set up road blocks between Nangade and Mueda. Insurgents also killed 2 civilian farmers near the village of Eduardo Mondlane, east of Litingina.[136]
- 3 March: insurgents ambushed a military vehicle travelling from Nangade to Mueda. The attack left one lieutenant colonel dead and two other Mozambican soldiers dead. Insurgents also raided the village of N'gangolo, killing 2 civilians.[136]
- 10 March: 8 insurgents were killed by Mozambican militia in Nangade district.[137]
- 16 March:Save The Childrenhas reported that children as young as 11 have been beheaded.[138]
- In Mid March: The town of Palma is effectively besieged by insurgents via cutting off supply lines most notably food supplies. Mozambican authorities used air transport to fly in supplies to the town.[139][140]
- In late March: TheUnited Statesdeployed the Green Berets special forces to train the Mozambican marines.[4][5]
- Since 24 March, ISIL militants conducted amajor attackon the town ofPalma, following a loss of communication from the town. Militants first attacked the police station and then proceeded to rob the town's banks. A military source in Palma claimed 'government forces resisted but then had to flee' as the militants were using 'heavy weapons that they had not seen before'. Residential buildings were attacked too, resulting in the death of many civilians.[141][142][143]On 27 March, the fourth day of the siege in the town, several more people were killed by the terrorists. Civilians were killed in the streets and in their houses; some of the victims were beheaded. A gas project was attacked too, and workers were murdered. About 200 foreign nationals fled to a local hotel to protect themselves, but the place was assaulted by the militants. A convoy conducted by Mozambican soldiers arrived at the scene to rescue the foreigners, but it came under fire. A South African man and a British civil contractor were confirmed killed in that attack, alongside 21 responding soldiers and several more people whose identity is unknown so far.[144][145]
- 5 April: Mozambican forces recapture Palma, though most of the town is destroyed in the fighting. Insurgents still remain in the outskirts and fighting still continues.
- 8 April: Seven insurgents entered the village of Novo Cabo Delgado, in northwestern Macomia district. They looted food and other goods from the village. As they left, they were ambushed by members of a local militia. In the ensuing firefight, militia members killed three insurgents. One militia member was killed and another wounded.[146]
- 11 April: A displaced civilian was found beheaded in his house in Palma, after discovering a large cache of food the previous day.[147]
- 19 April: Civilians discovered the bodies of 3 young men in Palma, addressing they'd been killed by Mozambican troops who were sweeping the town for insurgents.[148]
- 22 April: A taxi driver was killed by Mozambican soldiers in Pemba after a misunderstanding that led the soldiers to believe the taxi driver was an insurgent.[149]
- 23 April: 5 civilians were killed and 7 homes were burned down after insurgents attacked a district of Palma.[150]
- 30 April: Reports of fresh clashes between Mozambican troops and insurgents in Palma began to surface after insurgents burnt more buildings in the town, in the days prior, in an attempt to force Mozambican troops out. The phone service was once again cut off from the town, making communication difficult. Insurgents were also spotted in Quiuia, north of Palma. On the same day, 5 fisherman were beheaded by insurgents near the town of Pangane.[151]
- 3 May: 7 displaced civilians from Palma were killed and several more were killed after insurgents sunk two boats carrying displaced people off the coast of Ilha Mucongwe.[152]
- 7 May: 5 insurgents were killed by a local militia after insurgents launched a failed attack on Ngalonga, in southeastern Nangade district.[153]
- 15 May: Insurgents in Quifula Island in the Quirimba Islands (Ibo, Cabo Delgado) killed a fisherman.[154]
- 21 May: Government forces reportedly recaptured Diaca and Namacunde.[155]
- 22 May: There was fighting between government forces and insurgents in lower Palma, insurgents burned down 14 homes and a mosque in lower Palma. There has been no confirmation on casualties.[156]
- A few days after 22 May: Mozambican forces leave Namacunde due to supply shortages. The town was reportedly abandoned.[157]
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