The summary is a detailed account of a militant attack on the coastal town of Palma, Mozambique, which left thousands of civilians displaced and the town in ruins. The attack, carried out by local insurgents known as "Shabab" who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, was part of a larger crisis caused by a land grab by an ISIS-linked group. The government's response was criticized for being inadequate, with forces unable to defend Palma and leaving its citizens to fend for themselves.
The insurgents' target was strategic, as Palma is a town with massive global investment, including a liquefied natural gas project run by the French oil and gas company Total. The escalating insurgency and government forces' inability to effectively combat the insurgents have led to a situation where the natural gas project is seen as a safer place than the town itself.
After the attack, evacuations were hastily organized by private companies and the Dike Advisory Group (DAG), a South African military contractor hired by Mozambique to fight the insurgency. This led to controversy as DAG's presence was accused of war crimes by Amnesty International. Despite the limited government support, some locals managed to escape on their own, using private vehicles and boats, while others were rescued by the DAG and Total's ferry.
The aftermath of the attack has had severe repercussions, with thousands of people left behind and the potential economic future of Mozambique in doubt due to Total's suspension of its operations. The government's downplaying of the violence and the president's assurance that it's safe to return to Palma have been criticized. The town remains in a state of near-daily gunfire and ongoing violence, highlighting the ongoing crisis in Mozambique.
1. The text describes an attack by a group of militants in late March in a coastal town in Mozambique.
2. Thousands of civilians fled as their town was left burning behind them.
3. This is not the first time scenes like these have played out in this area.
4. A crisis has been unfolding as local insurgents, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, execute the largest land grab by an ISIS-linked group in years.
5. This has created one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced.
6. Over the course of about a week, the insurgents attacked Palma, a strategic port town with massive global investment.
7. The question arose about whether the Mozambique government would save those sheltering in a hotel while a battle raged outside.
8. The government exaggerated its response in the days after the attack, but it was found that government forces were not able to defend Palma, leaving its citizens to mostly fend for themselves against the insurgents.
9. Evacuations that did happen had to be hastily organized by private companies.
10. The government has heavily censored media coverage of the conflict, obscuring much of what's happening.
11. The insurgency, known locally as a shabab, emerged in the province of Cabo Delgado in 2017 and its recruitment is mostly local, drawing on grievances over extreme poverty and corruption.
12. The group has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State but the closeness of these ties is hotly debated.
13. The government tries to maintain the illusion of safety and calm for international investors, but insurgent activity and control have escalated over time.
14. In March 2021, government forces were tested again when the insurgent's target was the town of Palma.
15. The town of Palma lies just south of the site of Africa's largest foreign direct investment, a liquefied natural gas project where the primary investor is a French oil and gas company, Total.
16. The project is controversial because its construction displaced many local villages in the months before the attack.
17. Satellite imagery shows at least nine recently constructed military outposts at key positions around the site.
18. The natural gas project, not the town, is the most secure place when insurgents move in.
19. On March 24th, the day of the attack, the insurgents advanced on Palma, quickly taking control of parts of the coast and all key roads leading into the town.
20. Damage to two banks, government offices, the town's business park, and military and police buildings were confirmed.
21. The roads are cut off and the only ways help can now arrive are by sea and air.
22. The government helicopters moved from at least 85 miles away to the airstrip of the natural gas site, but multiple eyewitnesses reported that they only attempted to fly into Palmo once and quickly retreated under fire.
23. The Dike Advisory Group (DAG), a South African military contractor hired by Mozambique to help fight the insurgency, came to the rescue.
24. The hotel's owner arranged a last-ditch helicopter rescue, carrying members of her staff and her two dogs, which was made by a private company that the hotel often chartered for tourist excursions.
25. The ground convoy prepared to make the risky escape over land, but there was still confusion over whether they would receive air support.
26. Thousands of people throughout the area were forced to flee on their own after limited air evacuations.
27. Many more people lined up at the natural gas site run by Total, where at least some government security is present.
28. After the week-long attack, repercussions were immediately felt.
29. Because of the violence, Total has suspended its natural gas operations indefinitely, raising serious concerns about Mozambique's economic future.
30. Based on the tally of evacuations, only a small number of Palma's population were rescued during the attack, with roughly 95 percent of the population left behind.
31. Even a month after the attack, thermal image reveals large fires burning in Palma and satellite imagery confirms at least 50 buildings have burn damage.