Alessandra Ciffo
On March 3rd, a few pro-IS
mujahideen allegedly landed on Quirimba[1] island, on the Northern
coast of Mozambique, and clashed with Mozambican Military and Security Forces,
which resulted in the killing of two soldiers and some Christian civilians, the
fleeing of the rest of the Security Forces, the escaping of some local residents
into the forest[2],
and the total control of the island by the IS. Later on that day, the militants also seized a series of the
local government properties and redistributed them among people who needed
promising not to harm them with any violence, then invited some of the people hidden
in the forest to step out, join them to the victory celebrations, and Sharia
laws.
The mujahideen came from Kissanga city, Kissanga District, Cabo Delgado Province, after capturing it with an armed assault the day before, on March 2nd, in which they looted a series of local stores and government buildings, then, as observed from different local footage, they arrived at Mussomero village, Kissanga District, Cabo Delgado Province, which did not involve any violent and military actions, instead, the IS militants bought some food and talked to the local residents.
The IS Mozambique province is still
pursuing military operativeness and violent actions against Christian villages
and civilians as well as against the Mozambican Security Forces and
indistinctive targets in Cabo Delgado Province, such as the recent destructions
of various trucks near the Okuva village.
Due to the lack of the Mozambican
Security Forces's proper counter response and its inefficiency in guaranteeing
safety and protection to civilians among different pro-IS militants, there is
the idea that the attacks and military operations targeting the Christian
population from Cabo Delgado will very likely endure, pursuing more violence
against Christian targets, humans, and properties, resulting in a mass
expulsion with the increase of the number of refugees, threatening civilians to
convert to Islam or agreed to be ruled by the Islamic State to stop the losses.
[1] The second largest
island in The Quirimbas Archipelago, reachable by boat from Cabo Delgado Province.
[2] According to some IS
sources, IS militants did not pursue the residents due to the presence of some Muslims among them.
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