What You Need to Know
Human Rights Watch has called for an urgent investigation into the deaths of 13 fishermen in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, allegedly shot by soldiers. The organization emphasizes the need for accountability and compensation for victims’ families, highlighting the impact of military restrictions on local fishing communities amid ongoing conflict in the region.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday called for an urgent investigation into an incident in Cabo Delgado in which soldiers are suspected of opening fire on local fishermen, resulting in the deaths of 13 people.
“Mozambican authorities should urgently and impartially investigate the incident, hold those responsible for wrongdoing to account, and pay prompt and adequate compensation to the victims or their families,” the organisation said in a statement.
It added that Mozambique’s Defence and Security Forces, “citing security concerns linked to the ongoing armed conflict in the region”, have imposed “restrictions on coastal movement and fishing in parts of Mocímboa da Praia and neighbouring Macomia districts”.
“The Government states that the measures aim to limit the movement of non-state armed groups along the coast, but they have also significantly affected communities that depend on fishing for their livelihoods,” it added.
Quoted in the statement, Sheila Nhancale, HRW researcher in Mozambique, said that members of the Mozambican Navy “fired on subsistence fishermen who fish the restricted waters out of economic hardship”.
“Mozambique’s partners should press the government to ensure a credible and transparent investigation, provide accountability and reparations for the victims, and adopt measures so that such abuses never recur,” she added.
HRW also reported that several residents told the organisation “that despite the restrictions, many local fishermen continue to go to sea out of economic necessity”.
The Mozambican Armed Defence Forces (FADM) have meanwhile denied allegations of involvement in the deaths of the 13 fishermen in Cabo Delgado, stating that the perpetrators were insurgents wearing military uniforms.
In a statement released today by the Mozambican Navy, it is noted that explanations regarding the incident, which occurred on 15 March, were provided on 25 March during a meeting between military leaders and residents of the Milamba and Nabubuci neighbourhoods on Calunga Island, Cabo Delgado.
“The attack was carried out by insurgents wearing military uniforms to impersonate government forces,” the statement said, adding that the meeting with the local population was attended by the Police of the Republic of Mozambique and the Rwanda Defence Force, “reinforcing cooperation in the fight against terrorism”.
“The FADM reiterate their commitment to protecting the population and warn of the need to combat disinformation,” it added.
Cabo Delgado province, which is rich in natural gas, has been the target of extremist attacks for eight years, with the first recorded on 5 October 2017 in the district of Mocímboa da Praia.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) estimates that Cabo Delgado recorded two violent incidents in the past two weeks, one involving Islamic State extremists, resulting in 13 deaths — the victims of the attack on local fishermen — bringing the total death toll since 2017 to 6,515.
According to the latest report from ACLED, covering 9 to 22 March, of the 2,342 violent incidents recorded since October 2017, when the insurgency began in Cabo Delgado, 2,172 involved elements associated with Islamic State Mozambique (EIM).
These attacks have resulted in 6,515 deaths over eight and a half years, according to this latest assessment, including the 13 victims reported during this two-week period — fishermen targeted by gunfire from members of the Mozambican Armed Defence Forces, as previously reported by Lusa.
“A Navy patrol of the FADM fired on six fishing boats off Mocímboa da Praia on 15 March, killing at least 13 people. This attack continues a series of FADM operations against civilian vessels in the coastal waters of Cabo Delgado, which has increased significantly since 2024,” the report states.
Cabo Delgado province has been embroiled in conflict since 2017, with extremist attacks linked to Islamic State leading to significant violence and instability. The region, rich in natural gas, has seen a surge in military operations aimed at combating insurgents, but these measures have often affected local communities reliant on fishing for their livelihoods. The recent incident involving the deaths of fishermen underscores the ongoing tensions and the complex dynamics between security measures and community needs.
