Pemba, Mozambique, Jan. 14, 2026 (Lusa) - Residents of Chai, in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, reported the presence of alleged extremist groups near the village on Wednesday, causing fear and despair.
According to local sources, the movement of suspicious groups in that administrative post in the district of Macomia, along National Road 380, between Chai and the village of V Congresso, has been going on since Sunday, especially near agricultural production areas, 200 kilometres from Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique.
"In fact, there are many terrorist movements in our machambas [agricultural fields] and on the road," said a source from Macomia.
The situation has created fear and despair, leading many residents to flee to the Macomia headquarters, fearing new attacks.
"I left Chai. Me and (...) others, because we are afraid," said another source.
Chai is considered a historic location, the scene of the symbolic attack on 25 September 1964, which marked the beginning of the armed struggle in Mozambique against Portuguese colonialism.
In that area, an improvised explosive device, which the local population suspects was planted by these insurgent groups, detonated on Friday near the village of V Congresso, triggered by the passage of a military convoy escorting vehicles to the north, but without causing any human or material damage.
"It didn't kill anyone or damage any cars. But it caused panic," said a local source in Macomia.
The gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique has been the target of extremist attacks for eight years, with the first attack recorded on 5 October 2017 in the district of Mocímboa da Praia.
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) estimated earlier this month that the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado recorded 14 violent events between 10 and 23 November, involving Islamic State extremists and causing 12 deaths, and warned of a worsening situation in Nampula.
According to the latest ACLED report, of the 2,270 violent events recorded since October 2017, when the armed insurgency began in Cabo Delgado, a total of 2,107 involved elements associated with Islamic State Mozambique (EIM).
These attacks have caused 6,341 deaths in just over eight years.
RYCE/ADB // ADB.
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