Islamic State – Mozambique Province

Islamic State – Mozambique Province
Leader	Abu Yasir Hassan[1][2]
Dates of operation	May 2022 – Present[a]
Split from	Islamic State – Central Africa Province
Group(s)	Al-Shabaab (Mozambique)
Ideology	Islamic Statism
Part of	Islamic State
Allies	Islamic State – Central Africa Province ADF - Baluku
Opponents	Mozambique Rwanda[3][4] South Africa[5] Southern African Development Community[6]
Battles and wars	see battles and wars

The Islamic State – Mozambique Province or ISMP is an administrative division of the Islamic State (IS), a Salafi jihadist militant group. Established in May 2022 after splitting from the Islamic State – Central Africa Province in 2022^[7], ISMP operates primarily in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province^[8] and Niassa Province.^[9]

Since May 2022, the Congolese and Mozambican branches were recognized by IS central command as autonomous units within its network.^[10] IS-Central officially separated the Mozambican wing from IS-CAP, naming it the "Islamic State – Mozambique Province".^[11][12] The Congolese and Mozambican IS forces continued to maintain links after this split, but also began to "feud" with each other over the distribution of money and communications hierarchies within the IS global network.^[12]

• 6 September: IS attacked a Catholic mission in Chipene, in the Diocese of Nacala, killing a Catholic nun, sister Maria de Coppi.^[13]
• 7 September: Following the attack on Chipene, the same insurgents attacked nearby settlements, killing at least three Christians. ^[14]
• 30 November: SAMIM claimed that over 30 insurgents and 2 soldiers were killed following a clash in Cabo Delgado which resulted in the seizure of a number of weapons. ^[15]
• 30 December: Attacks on Christian villages in northern Mozambique left two dead, four wounded, and caused much unrest and consternation in the region.^[16]

• 8 August: a Mozambican army compound was attacked by IS operatives, killing 7 Mozambican soldiers. At least 50 assault rifles were seized by IS operatives.^[17]
• 25 August: Mozambique's armed forces have killed Bonomade Machude Omar, also known as Abu Sulayfa Muhammad and Ibn Omar, along with two others, The U.S.A. designated Omar as a terrorist leader of IS-Mozambique in August 2021, He was responsible for attacks in Cabo Delgado, and an attack on a hotel in the town of Palma in March 2021, as well as the Battle of Palma.^[18]
• 15 September: IS entered the village of Naquitengue, near Mocimboa da Praia. After rounding up the villagers they separated and massacred 11 Christians.^[19]

• 21 January: IS fighters occupy the town of Mucojo in Macomia district after Mozambican soldiers murdered several civilians near the town.^[20]

• 30 January: IS fighters ambush a Mozambican army patrol along the road between Mazeze and Mecúfi in Mecúfi district, leaving at least 8 soldiers dead and 4 vehicles destroyed. IS later released photos of the ambush.^[21]

• 31 January: Mozambican army retook Mucojo on the Macomia coast without a fight.^[22]

• 9 February: IS fighters raided the Mozambican army post in the town of Mucojo and killed 25 soldiers.^[22]
• 16 February: IS fighters occupied Quissanga.^[23]
• 3 March: IS fighters captured the island of Quirimba and killed at least 2 security personnel.^[24] Many locals were displaced and fled to the nearby city of Pemba.^[24]
• 24 March: Government forces retook the town of Quissanga and the nearby island of Quirimba after Islamic State fighters withdrew from the area.^[25]
• 10-11 May: IS attackd the town of Macomia, engaging with Government troops from the local military base. Fighting continued until the early afternoon of Saturday, 11 May, when the militants withdrew. Hours later there were other attacks in the villages of Missufine and Cajerene, 70km from Pemba. The attacks resulted in the mass flight of hundreds of local civilians, according to Catholic foundation Aid to the Church in Need.^[26]
• 30 May: Government forces and Rwandan troops claimed to have killed 50–70 IS fighters in district of Mocímboa da Praia, in province of Cabo Delgado.^[27][28]
• 17 September: An attack by joint Rwandan and Mozambique troops on an insurgent base at Quiterajo killed 5 IS fighters.^[29]
• 25 September: Rwandan and Mozambique forces recaptured the town of Mucojo killing 10 and capturing 4 IS fighters.^[29]

• 18 February: Islamic State terrorists attempted to invade the village of Litamanda in the Macomia district, but local forces repelled the terrorists and killed two of them, according to Cabo Ligado.^[30]
• 19 February: the Islamic State attacked a village just north of the town of Macomia, where they looted, burned homes and killed two civilians. A local source said stolen food from western Macomia was being transported through the Catupa forest to support terrorists on the coast.^[30]
• 20 February: the Islamic State killed at least two members of the armed forces during an attack on a military outpost in Quissanga. Local sources told Mozambican news website Moz24h that the terrorists retreated before entering residential areas.^[30]
• 29 April: Two anti-poaching rangers were killed by IS fighters near Niassa, northern Mozambique.^[31]
• 10 May: Islamic State claimed they attacked Government forces positions near the village of Miangalewa in the Muidumbe district of Cabo Delgado province, killing 11 soldiers, while other accounts put the death toll at 18.^[32]
• 29 May: An attack by IS fighters in an army outpost in Macomia have killed multiple Mozambique soldiers and more than 10 IS fighters.^[33]
• 15 June: A clash between Mozambique Army and IS militants killed 12 IS militants in Niassa province in Montepuez district.^[34]
• 27 July – A clash between IS militants and local militia left 14 militiamen dead.^[35]
• 29 July – Two IS militants were captured by Rwandan forces.^[36]