Insurgents linked to the Islamic State group attacked a key Mozambique port town near a major international gas hub early Monday, beheading several civilians, locals reported.
It was the second attack this month on Mocimboa da Praia, which is around 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of a stalled multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas project operated by French energy giant TotalEnergies.
The attackers entered in the early hours of the morning and forced a resident to go from house to house, calling out names of certain people, a local military official said on condition of anonymity.
“As soon as they emerged, they were beheaded,” he said, adding three civilians were killed this way. “At least three insurgents were killed by a hunter living in the neighborhood,” he said.
One local told AFP that four civilian men were beheaded and a pregnant woman was shot, dying later in hospital.
“In addition to killing these five people, they kidnapped several people,” another local said, also anonymously.
The Mozambican authorities did not comment and rarely confirm such incidents.
The town is in the northern Cabo Delgado province, which adjoins Tanzania, and militants have been active in the area since 2017. More than 6,200 people have been killed in the violence since then, according to conflict monitor ACLED.
Insurgents also attacked the town on September 7 when they beheaded four civilians, according to locals.
Mocimboa da Praia was previously a landing port for fuel, cars, tractors and other equipment for companies operating in the gas hub near the town of Palma.
The project has been stalled since militants struck Palma in March 2021. More than 800 people were killed, including several TotalEnergies subcontractors, according to an ACLED toll.
TotalEnergies has announced that construction on the $20-billion LNG project could restart within months.
