Islamist militants murdered at least 57 people and damaged a church building in a spate of attacks in early April.
Militants operating in Cabo Delgado left five dead in Quirimba – an island off the northern coast. One person was shot, another was burned alive, and three drowned as they tried to escape. About 60 people were taken hostage, but released later the same day.
A day earlier, five reportedly died in an attack on Muambula village. The terrorists caused severe damage to the local church in the village, one of the oldest in the region, and destroyed homes of church missionaries before vandalising a secondary school.
Prior to that, at least 52 people were massacred in Xitaxi village when they refused to join the Islamist terrorist group.
The militant Islamist organisation called Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama, known locally as Al Shabaab (not the Somali-based group), have effectively gained control of an area of Cabo Delgado. Militant attacks have intensified recent weeks as part of a campaign to establish an Islamist caliphate in the region, which is rich in oil and gas supplies.
In March, militants occupied the centre of Mocímboa da Praia, a district headquarters, burning government facilities, including a barracks, and brandishing a black-and-white flag used by Islamic extremists.
