Cabo Delgado: Two suspected terrorists killed in Mozambique ambush

Two suspected terrorists were killed during an operation by the Local Force in the village of Nangunde, located in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. The insurgents were reportedly caught in an ambush in the Naneve production area within the Muidumbe district.

The Local Force, a group of community-organized paramilitary volunteers including former liberation fighters and their descendants, works alongside the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) to combat terrorism in the region. While two suspects were killed, a third individual was wounded but managed to flee with the assistance of other insurgents.

State forces and the Local Force have increased patrols in the lowlands of Nangunde, Ntchinga, and Namacande to restore security to local communities. This operation follows an attack two weeks ago in the same area that killed four civilians and caused local farmers to flee.

Cabo Delgado, a province rich in natural gas, has been facing an armed insurgency since 2017. According to international organizations, the conflict has resulted in over 6,600 deaths and displaced 1.2 million people. Recent reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicate a 10% increase in conflict-related incidents during the first half of the year, noting a rise in kidnappings for ransom and forced recruitment.