Mozambique faces rising criminality and insurgent recruitment

Mozambique is facing a rise in both localized criminality and organized insurgent activity. Archbishop Inácio Saure, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Mozambique, has denounced an “exponential rise” in crime following an August 8 attack in Mecuburi, Nampula. During the incident, two Kenyan religious sisters were physically assaulted and a security guard was severely beaten, leaving him in critical condition.

In the northern province of Cabo Delgado, a United Nations report indicates that Islamist terrorists associated with the Islamic State, specifically the group Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaa (ASWJ), have increased their strength to an estimated 400–500 fighters. The report notes that the group has intensified recruitment by exploiting illegal migration routes and is showing signs of southward expansion into mineral-rich districts.

Insurgent activity remains concentrated in several districts, including Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia, with a growing interest in maritime operations such as extortion and attacks on civilian vessels. This follows a pattern of increasing instability in the region, including previous armed attacks on religious communities and the recent killing of a bishop in Quelimane.