Humairaa Mayet | 31 March 2021
Mozambican civilians have had to go through immense difficulty in the impoverished Cabo Delgado Province of Zimbabwe even prior to the outbreak of an insurgency. Image: The Caravel
As of late, the Southern African country of Mozambique has been plagued by an array of issues; many of them arising from the Islamist insurgency currently underway in the Cabo Delgado province. All of them have caused political upheaval and social uncertainty.
In 2017, insurgents took advantage of Mozambique’s fragile political and social state and seized parts of the northernmost province of the country. They establishing a base from which they carried out armed acts of terror.
Salaamedia, the first media house in South Africa to break the news of the fundamentalist activity underway in our neighbouring country, has been closely covering the story ever since the violence began.
Approximately half a million Mozambicans have been displaced and, with groups allegedly linked with the Islamic State In Syria (ISIS) being in control of Cabo Delgado, the likelihood of repatriation is slim to none. The insurgency has sparked international outcry and attention, with countries like Portugal – the nation’s former colonial overlords – intervening in an attempt to curb the situation. It is still unclear, however, as to whether South Africa will play a role in attempting to combat this scourge of radicalism in Mozambique.
The insurgency has led not only to an ongoing political crisis in the country, but it has also resulted in the death of multiple civilians. Insurgents, believed to be tied to fundamentalist Middle Eastern terrorist organisation ISIS, have no qualms with regards to harming innocent Mozambicans and have repeatedly made use of violent tactics against men, women, and children.
Despite international intervention, it seems that there is no end in sight to the terror and violence plaguing Mozambique. Until insurgents in Cabo Delgado are met with adequate force, both from the Mozambican government and international community, terrorists may continue to cause harm, not only to Mozambicans, but to the country’s economy and social and political fabric.
Image via The Caravel.
