Crisis Expert Analyses Mozambique Jihadist Terrorist Situation

An Economic Threat

Mocimboa da Praia port, attacked and taken over by Jihadists Wednesday, a huge blow to the Cabo Delgado province in Northern Mozambique - which houses the continent’s biggest single multi-billion-dollar investment project in a liquified natural gas facility. Terrorist activity that could hamper the development of the gas industry.

Jasmine Opperman, an expert from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, shared her insight on the current situation, "The insurgents do not have the capacity to control Mocimboa da Praia. They will stay there – AT THE PORT - for about seven to 10 days. But that is not their goal. Their goal has been achieved: it's been a massive victory for ISCAP - Islamic State Central African Province - propaganda, and the insurgents have shown what they are capable of."

A Response is Necessary

Despite discourse from the Mozambican government since 2017 when these Islamists extremists began attacking the area, no sufficient action has been taken to completely eradicate the presence of these groups. As such, their reach has spread out from within this major port traffic hub.

Opperman continued her analysis, "The fact that you have an international terror group for the first time present in this form and format has regional implications. And if we're not going to acknowledge it now, we are going to be too late in dealing with the situation as it spreads."

Adverse Effects

International aid might be necessary to combat the mounting jihadist situation in the country as, over the last 3 years, 1,300 people in northern Mozambique have lost their lives and around 250,000 have been displaced. Numbers that could keep rising if serious action is not taken against the terrorists.

Despite the unrest in the region, Total said it would go ahead with its $23 billion gas project.