Northern Mozambique is witnessing a sharp resurgence of insurgent violence linked to Islamic State militants, coinciding with energy giant TotalEnergies’ plan to resume its halted gas project.
The insurgency, centered in the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province, erupted years ago with militants aiming to establish a caliphate in the region.
TotalEnergies paused its multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas project in 2021 after waves of deadly attacks forced over a million people to flee.
Though political unrest following last October’s elections briefly overshadowed the conflict, fresh violence has erupted this year with a series of dramatic strikes.
In May, insurgents attacked two military bases, reportedly killing between 11 and 17 soldiers, according to sources close to the conflict.
Earlier raids included a deadly assault on a wildlife reserve in neighboring Niassa province and an ambush killing three Rwandan soldiers in Cabo Delgado.
A thwarted attack on a Russian oceanographic vessel was also reported, with the crew labeling the assailants as “pirates.”
Experts link the uptick in violence to renewed activity around the gas project, boosted by recent \$4.7 billion US funding approval.
“The insurgents are drawn to increased movement of project personnel,” said security analysts monitoring the region.
Conflict tracker ACLED logged over 80 attacks in the first four months of 2025, a rise partly attributed to improved road access after the rainy season.
The United Nations warns the intensified violence is displacing tens of thousands, compounding an already massive humanitarian crisis.
Since 2017, more than 6,000 lives have been lost, with many atrocities remaining hidden in the remote, impoverished areas.
As TotalEnergies pushes forward, the fragile security situation underscores the ongoing challenges facing Mozambique’s northern frontier.