ISIS states first presence in Mozambique, denied by police

The Islamic State group claimed to be involved for the first time in a clash between insurgents in Mozambique, but an expert expressed doubts and the police rejected the complaint.

A jihadist uprising has developed in Cabo Delgado province, in northern Mozambique, with more than 200 people killed and many villages burned.

According to SITE Intelligence, a company that monitors extremist activities, the Islamic State issued a statement Tuesday in which it claims to be involved in an apparent exchange of views with the Mozambique Army in Cabo Delgado.

"The soldiers of the caliphate were able to repel the attack by the Mozambican army in the village of Metubi, in the region of Mocimboa," the statement said, according to a translation of the SITE.

"They clashed with various weapons, killing and injuring a number of them.

"The mujahideen captured weapons, ammunition and rockets."

Insurgents routinely attack villages, kill locals – sometimes by beheading them – and set houses on fire despite a strong police and military presence in the border province of Tanzania.

An insurgency expert in Mozambique, who declined to give his name, said that an Islamic state would probably have no direct contact with local fighters.

He added that the attack alleged by the IS had not been reported locally and that the village of Metubi was not located in the district of Mocimboa da Praia.

"I think we have to be careful." The Islamic State is not in Mozambique – it's just propaganda, but they could have links, "said the expert.

"Islamic states are fighting for their survival but want to give the idea that they are active in Africa".

Scores killed last month

Police on Wednesday rejected the claims of the Islamic State, which came as Muslims around the world celebrated the holiday of Eid al-Fitr after the holy month of Ramadan.

"Security forces are distancing themselves from this information," police spokesman Orlando Mudumane in Maputo told reporters.

"The information is false, the police reiterate that the security forces are willing to fight the aggressors."

It is the policy of the police and the government not to comment on insurgent activities, even if the attacks are confirmed by the local population.

Islamist activists have targeted isolated communities in Cabo Delgado, a predominantly Muslim city rich in natural gas, since October 2017, but the group's identity and motives remain unclear.

With the help of local sources, AFP followed the troubles until May, recording 14 attacks and more than 40 deaths.

The attacks forced the temporary closure of voter registration offices before the October elections.

Greenhouse gas deposits off Cabo Delgado add an extra dimension to the insurgency as international exploration companies are caught up in the violence.

According to local sources, 16 people were killed in an ambush on a highway on May 31, the largest number of insurgent deaths.

The attackers threw homemade explosives into a truck – a new tactic – and opened fire.