At least five people were killed in a terrorist attack last week in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, APA learnt here on Monday.
According to local reports, three bodies were discovered on Sunday in Muidumbe district following an assault.
The victims were reportedly unable to escape when militants stormed their homes while others fled to nearby Mandava village or into surrounding bushland.
Two additional people were wounded by gunfire and roughly 20 homes and food stores were set ablaze during the raid.
The Islamic State- affiliated group claimed responsibility for the attack via its media channels, stating its fighters killed four people and torched 30 houses.
The discrepancy in casualty figures has not been independently verified but the group’s involvement aligns with a renewed wave of violence in the region.
Cabo Delgado has been the epicentre of a brutal insurgency since 2017 led by militants affiliated with the Islamic State.
The conflict has killed over 6,100 people and displaced nearly one million, according to conflict tracker Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).
Humanitarian agencies have warned of worsening displacement and protection risks, especially for women and children.
JN/APA