Executive Summary 

The Islamic State (IS) is increasing its activity in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, with a surge in insurgency campaigns during the last twelve weeks that include conventional assaults on rural areas and public beheadings of unarmed civilians. Recent developments suggest IS is using the central area of the northern province as a staging point for launching offensives toward the southern villages. Furthermore, the central districts are seeing a heavy presence of the terrorist organisation along the Macomia–Awasse highway. 

The Mozambican Army appears unable to contain the current offensive of the Islamic State, as the latest deployment from the jihadist militants met minimal resistance from security forces, with local Defence Minister Cristóvão Chume admitting the ineffectiveness of recent operations. International relief workers estimate that at least 50,000 civilians and 13,343 families have been displaced from Chiúre district during the recent events, as violence against remote villages escalates with widespread abductions and forced recruitment.