Africa-Press – Mozambique. Local sources told Lusa on Wednesday that at least three fishermen remain unaccounted for after going missing in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, an area targeted by terrorist groups since 2017.
The same sources report that the three fishermen were from the Mucojo administrative post, about 40 kilometres from Macomia, and disappeared on July 5 while carrying out their activities.
“They left home as usual, but they haven’t returned to this day,” a source from Macomia told Lusa, indicating that local communities suspect the three were kidnapped by the terrorist groups that continue to circulate and attack, particularly in Quiterajo administrative post, also in Macomia district.
“If they were found by terrorist groups, then it’s clear they were taken to join the group,” one local source said.
Searches have been underway for the three since they were noticed missing. One of the victims’ relatives told Lusa that they were supposed to returned to land, “because they hadn’t even taken any food” when they went fishing.
Quiterajo administrative post remains under the control of the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces since after residents abandoned the area due to attacks by armed men.
Since October 2017, gas-rich Cabo Delgado province has faced an armed rebellion, with attacks claimed by movements associated with the extremist Islamic State group. These attacks have displaced more than a million people, and killed 349 people in 2024.
New extremist movements in northern Mozambique have appeared Niassa, a neighbouring province of Cabo Delgado, where, since their outbreak on April 29, they have resulted in the death of at least two forest rangers, who were beheaded.
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