TotalEnergies accused of blocking SAS rescue in Mozambique terror attack

An inquest at Winchester Coroner’s Court has heard allegations that the French energy giant TotalEnergies prevented the SAS from rescuing a British businessman during a terrorist siege in Mozambique.

Philip Mawer, 58, a manager for RA International, was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) on March 26, 2021, while attempting to escape the Amarula Lodge in Palma. The hotel was under siege by Islamic State-linked Al-Shabaab militants. During the inquest, a barrister representing Mawer’s family claimed that TotalEnergies blocked the SAS from assisting and refused to provide essential fuel to the Dyck Advisory Group, a private military contractor operating in the area.

Witnesses testified that the refusal of fuel could have resulted in more lives being saved. The inquest also highlighted Mawer’s actions during the siege; he reportedly twice declined spots in evacuation vehicles—once in a helicopter and once in an armoured vehicle—to ensure women and children could escape first.