MozambiqueKey figures
Who is fighting
Mozambique and allied forces
- Mozambique Defence Armed Forces (FADM)
- Rwanda Defence Force and police
- Naparama and local militias
- SADC Mission in Mozambique (2021-2024)
- Rwanda
- European Union (funding for the Rwandan mission)
- United States
- Portugal
Islamic State Mozambique Province (Ansar al-Sunna / 'al-Shabaab')
- Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP)
- Islamic State
Force sizes are estimates of personnel or fighters, usually from IISS, government statements or specialist reporting; irregular forces are especially hard to count. "(reported)" marks external support that the backer disputes or has not confirmed.
Background
The insurgency began with an attack on Mocímboa da Praia in October 2017 by a local Islamist movement that later affiliated with the Islamic State. It captured Mocímboa da Praia in 2020 and attacked Palma in March 2021, halting TotalEnergies' $20 billion LNG project. Rwandan forces (from July 2021) and a SADC mission retook the main towns; SADC withdrew in 2024, after which the insurgents regained influence in Macomia and Quissanga.
From late 2025 the group, estimated at only a few hundred fighters, intensified raids on convoys, mining sites and villages, retook the abandoned Catupa base in July 2026, pushed a column toward Niassa and attacked a hunting camp in the Niassa reserve in September. Rwanda, with roughly 2,000-5,000 troops, extended its deployment after Mozambique secured funding in May 2026 and moved the counter-terrorism command to Mocímboa da Praia. Government forces have been accused of abuses, including the navy's killing of 13 fishers in March 2026. At least 28,000 people were displaced in January-July 2026 and about 4,400 more in late September-early October; some 1.8 million people need humanitarian aid.
Recent developments
- 5 October 2026Displacement data show at least 4,445 people fled attacks in Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia in two weeks. source ↗
- 22 September 2026About 12 abducted and three killed in Miangaleua and Chai; ransom demands of 50,000 meticais per hostage. source ↗
- 13 September 2026Joint Mozambican-Rwandan operation near Quiterajo kills at least two insurgents. source ↗
- 26 August 2026Al Jazeera reports violence affecting all 17 districts of Cabo Delgado for the first time; 28,163 displaced January-July; ACLED recorded four government-initiated clashes in August. source ↗
- 1 August 2026FADM and ISM clash at Shamba Kubwa; at least 16 insurgents killed after about 150 fighters advanced toward Niassa. source ↗
- 24 July 2026ISM claims six Rwandan soldiers and an informant killed; Rwandan troops had killed five insurgents at a Cogolo camp the day before. source ↗
Timeline
- 5 October 2017Militants attack police posts in Mocímboa da Praia, starting the insurgency.
- 4 June 2019Islamic State claims its first attack in Mozambique.
- 12 August 2020Insurgents capture the port town of Mocímboa da Praia.
- 24 March 2021Attack on Palma near the LNG site kills dozens; TotalEnergies suspends its project.
- 9 July 2021Rwandan troops deploy; Mocímboa da Praia is retaken on 8 August.
- 15 July 2024SADC mission completes its withdrawal.
- 30 November 2025Rwandan forces kill at least 35 militants near Cogolo; ISM kills five Rwandan soldiers there on 24 December.
- 15 March 2026Mozambican navy fires on fishing boats off Mocímboa da Praia, killing at least 13; the military admits responsibility.
- 19 May 2026Rwanda says Mozambique has secured funds to continue its mission after threatening withdrawal in March.
- 5 July 2026Militants retake the Catupa base abandoned by the army; the counter-terrorism command moves to Mocímboa da Praia.
- 15 August 2026UN special rapporteur says military victory is not imminent and calls for negotiations.
- 3 September 2026Raid on a hunting camp in the Niassa reserve kills two to four and takes 11 hostages, including a South African.
Casualties and displacement in detail
| Measure | Low | High | What the figure covers · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total killed (cumulative) | 6,000 | 6,570 | About 6,000 killed since 2017 (Al Jazeera, 2026); ACLED/Cabo Ligado count 6,570 including 2,759 civilians (compiled on Wikipedia). en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Combatants killed | – | – | Mozambican losses 'hundreds'; Rwanda has acknowledged only a handful (four or more killed by 2024; five killed at Cogolo in December 2025 per ISM claims). en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Civilians killed | 2,759 | – | ACLED count of civilians killed since 2017 (compiled); 2026 incidents include 13 fishers killed by the navy and several beheadings. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Wounded | – | – | Not recorded. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Deaths in the last 12 months | 150 | – | Floor from documented incidents since October 2025 listed in intensityNote; ACLED/Cabo Ligado monthly totals, which would be higher, were not retrievable. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Internally displaced | 100,000 | 1,500,000 | Low = displaced by the late-2025 surge (UN); high = cumulative/peak figure of 1.3-1.5 million who have fled their homes since 2017, many of whom have since returned. At least 28,163 newly displaced January-July 2026 and 4,445 in late September-early October. aljazeera.com ↗ |
| Refugees abroad | – | – | Small numbers in Tanzania; no current figure. aljazeera.com ↗ |
Intensity classification: Probably several hundred deaths in the last 12 months, but no aggregate was retrieved. Documented incidents since October 2025 include 35 militants killed near Cogolo (30 November), five Rwandan soldiers (24 December), 13 fishers shot by the navy (15 March 2026), 27 Naparama militiamen (May), ~20 in clashes 5-12 July, 16 insurgents at Shamba Kubwa (1 August) and repeated small-scale killings and beheadings in Macomia, Mocímboa da Praia and Niassa..
Countries affected
Frequently asked questions
Who is fighting in the Cabo Delgado insurgency, Mozambique (Islamic State Mozambique)?
Mozambique and allied forces (Mozambique Defence Armed Forces (FADM), Rwanda Defence Force and police, Naparama and local militias, SADC Mission in Mozambique (2021-2024)), supported by Rwanda, European Union (funding for the Rwandan mission), United States, Portugal; against Islamic State Mozambique Province (Ansar al-Sunna / 'al-Shabaab') (Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP)), supported by Islamic State.
How many people have been killed?
Estimates range from 6,000–6,570 killed as of 5 October 2026. About 6,000 killed since 2017 (Al Jazeera, 2026); ACLED/Cabo Ligado count 6,570 including 2,759 civilians (compiled on Wikipedia). Civilian deaths are put at 2,759+. Figures come from the sources listed on this page and differ in method; see the caveats above.
Is the Cabo Delgado insurgency, Mozambique (Islamic State Mozambique) still ongoing in 2026?
Status as of 19 October 2026: Active fighting — An Islamic State-affiliated insurgency ('al-Shabaab' locally, Islamic State Mozambique Province) has fought in gas-rich Cabo Delgado since 2017, killing about 6,000 people and displacing more than a million. Rwandan troops and Mozambican forces hold the towns and the LNG zone, but in 2025-2026 the insurgents returned to hit-and-run raids, kidnappings and ambushes across all 17 districts and into Niassa, displacing tens of thousands more; the UN called for negotiations in August 2026.
When did it start?
The current phase began on 5 October 2017 — 9 years ago.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — Why northern Mozambique's surging violence is worsening displacement (Aug 2026) aljazeera.com
- ACLED — Africa Overview January 2026 (Mozambique) acleddata.com
- ACLED — Africa Overview April 2026 (navy shooting) acleddata.com
- Africanews — UN calls for negotiations (Aug 2026) africanews.com
- ADF Magazine — Rwanda extends military presence (Feb 2026) adf-magazine.com
- Wikipedia — Insurgency in Cabo Delgado en.wikipedia.org
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Glostats. (2026). Cabo Delgado insurgency, Mozambique (2026). Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://glostats.com/conflicts/mozambique-cabo-delgado-insurgency/<a href="https://glostats.com/conflicts/mozambique-cabo-delgado-insurgency/">Cabo Delgado insurgency, Mozambique (2026)</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
This page summarises publicly available reporting and does not take sides. Casualty and force figures are estimates compiled on 19 October 2026; see each figure's source for its method and date. Page generated 2026-10-19. How this tracker works.