Islamic State militants have rampaged across the northern Cabo Delgado Province for more than seven years. The government says the situation has stabilized. Residents tell a different story.The New York Times reports that in a picturesque region of southern Africa known for its lush forests and emerald waters, a long-standing battle against Islamic State militants has been raging for years. The violence has resulted in thousands of deaths, amputations of young men, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people to temporary shelters. The once idyllic province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique has become a hotbed for terrorist activity.
In October, a team from The New York Times traveled to Cabo Delgado to investigate how the Islamic State affiliate known as ISIS-Mozambique has gained a foothold and caused chaos for both Muslims and Christians. Officials in the region and the West are deeply concerned that if this group is not contained, it could become a larger global threat. The conflict, referred to by locals as “the war,” has disrupted the peaceful way of life in the region, which was once centered around fishing and farming.
The toll of the violence has been devastating, with nearly 6,000 people killed and up to half of the province’s 2.3 million residents displaced. The struggle for basic necessities like food and shelter has become a daily reality in a province rich in natural resources such as rubies, gas, and timber. Since the visit by The New York Times, tensions in the country have only escalated. Following a disputed presidential election, Mozambique has experienced the worst election-related violence since the end of a long-running civil war in 1992. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest what many believe was a rigged result by the ruling party, Frelimo. According to the civil society organization Decide Electoral Platform, nearly 300 people have been killed during the protests.
In addition to the ongoing conflict, Cabo Delgado and the neighboring province of Nampula were hit by Cyclone Chido in mid-December, resulting in the deaths of as many as 120 people and displacing tens of thousands more. The storm also left many without access to food and clean water. The situation in Mozambique remains tense, and access to the article may be limited. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings or subscribe to The New York Times for full access to the content.
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