The Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in Mozambique beheaded at least 50 people that were attending male initiation rites in Muidumbe last week. The militants further remained in Muidumbe for t lest four days where they destroyed many a village in the district in what the militants deemed a revenge mission to avenge their comrades who were killed by local militias.
The massacre occurred in two different locations in the district where at least 15 newly circumcised teenagers and 5 councilors were beheaded the 24 de Marco village. The terrorists further beheaded another 24 youths and six adults from other areas of the district and gathered all the beheaded youth at a football field in Muatide.
It is apparent that ISCAP has morphed into a great threat in East and Central Africa and is operating with the ISIS-Central playbook which includes making huge international headlines publicizing their activities. In the past month, the group has managed to garner international attention by conducting cross-border attacks in Tanzania as well as a continued violent campaign in Cabo Delgado. Intelligence revealed that their goal was to cause 270 deaths, equal to the number of insurgents recently beheaded by former fighters in the same District.
Mozambique’s government needs to be hasty in seeking assistance from the regional actors as it is evident that the military and COIN actors lack the necessary skills to deal with the militancy in this crucial stage. This is especially true because stringent measures ought to be taken before the group roots itself near the strategic border with Tanzania and the international contraband trade route in Mocimboa da Praia.
