Mocímboa da Praia offensive
{{Short description|Islamic State operation during the Insurgency in Cabo Delgado}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Mocímboa da Praia offensive
| partof = the War against the Islamic State, the Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
| image = File:Mocimboa da Praia offensive map.png
| image_size = 300
| caption = Day by day map of the offensive. Grey shows ISCAP control and arrows show troop movement. Dotted lines are the frontlines.
| date = 5–11 August 2020
({{Age in months, weeks and days|month1=08|day1=05|year1=2020|month2=08|day2=11|year2=2020}})
| place = Mocímboa da Praia, Mocímboa da Praia District, Mozambique
| coordinates =
| map_type =
| map_relief =
| latitude =
| longitude =
| map_size =
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| territory =
| result = Islamic State victory{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53756692|title= Mocimboa da Praia: Key Mozambique port 'seized by IS'|date=12 August 2020|publisher=BBC}}
| status =
| combatant1 = {{Flag|Islamic State}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Mozambique}}
| commander1 =
| commander2 =
| units1 = Islamic State's Central Africa Province
Al-Shabaab{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/29/mozambique-isis-linked-group-using-child-soldiers |title=Mozambique: ISIS-linked Group Using Child Soldiers |work=Human Rights Watch |date=5 October 2021 |access-date=6 October 2021 }}
| units2 = Mozambique Defence Armed Forces (FADM)
Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) mercenaries
| strength1 = 1,000+
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 = 86+ killed
| casualties2 = {{flagicon|Mozambique}} 110+ killed{{cite web|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-08-12-mocimboa-da-praia-islamic-state-insurgents-recapture-strategic-port-town/|title= Mocimboa da Praia: Islamic State insurgents recapture strategic port town|date=12 August 2020|publisher=Daily Maverick}}
One HV32 vessel destroyed
| casualties3 = Unknown civilian losses
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Insurgency in Cabo Delgado}}
}}
The Mocímboa da Praia offensive was a six day long offensive in northern Mozambique by Islamic State's Central African Province (IS-CAP) to capture the town of 30,000. The offensive, part of the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, was a major success for IS-CAP, as they captured Mocímboa da Praia.
Offensive
The offensive actions started on August 5, 2020 when IS-CAP insurgents attacked the villages of Anga, 1 de Maio, Awasse, and the outskirts of Mocímboa da Praia on the same night.{{Cite web|title=Cabo Ligado Weekly: 3 - 9 August 2020 - Mozambique|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mozambique/cabo-ligado-weekly-3-9-august-2020|access-date=2020-09-12|website=ReliefWeb|language=en}} On August 6, IS-CAP attacked two military bases in Mocímboa da Praia, killing or wounding 50 soldiers and seizing dozens of rifles and RPG-7s. The government also repeated an attempted assault on the city, killing 16 insurgents. On August 8, the government pulled out of Ntotue, a strategic town in between Mocímboa da Praia and Awasse. On August 9, IS-CAP took the town of Awasse and were in control of the outskirts of Mocímboa da Praia. A well-carried out ambush took place on Sunday just before Awasse, killing 55 recruits and injuring 90 more. By the 10th the city of Mocímboa da Praia was completely cut off from food and ammunition. South Africa's Dyck Advisory Group attempted to airdrop ammunition onto the city under siege but dropped it too far from the Mozambican military. As a result, the Mozambicans suffered casualties trying to recover the supplies. On Tuesday, August 11, the Mozambican army, outnumbered and low on ammunition, was forced to retreat by boat from the city. In the retreat, an HV32 interceptor vessel was hit with an RPG and sank. 55 soldiers were killed in running battles during the siege of the city. The insurgents lost a total of 70 men during the battle for the city.{{Cite web|date=2020-08-19|title=Cabo Ligado Weekly: 10-16 August 2020|url=https://acleddata.com/2020/08/19/cabo-ligado-weekly-10-16-august-2020/|access-date=2020-09-12|website=ACLED|language=en-US}}
Aftermath
Following the offensive, IS-CAP declared Mocímboa da Praia its capital.{{cite news |title=ISIS take over luxury islands popular among A-list celebrities |url=https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/isis-take-over-luxury-islands-popular-among-alist-celebrities/news-story/27687dc58907ec892f4a29ae43d5d858 |work=News.com.au |date=18 September 2020 |access-date=20 September 2020}} Several local civilians welcomed the rebels, and were reportedly seen cheering them on.{{cite web| url = https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20210413-crise-au-mozambique-l-insurrection-au-cabo-delgado-a-des-racines-locales-et-anciennes | title = Crise au Mozambique: "l'insurrection au Cabo Delgado a des racines locales et anciennes" | last = Tulet | first = Amélie | work = RFI| date = 13 April 2021 | access-date = 24 April 2021 }} Despite attempts by the Mozambican security forces to retake the town, it remained under rebel control as of March 2021.{{Cite news|url=https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/understanding-new-us-terrorism-designations-africa |title=Understanding the New U.S. Terrorism Designations in Africa |author1=Dino Mahtani |author2=Nelleke van de Walle |author3=Piers Pigou |author4=Meron Elias |work=Crisis Group |date=18 March 2021 |access-date=27 March 2021}}
A combination of Rwandan and Mozambican forces launched an effort to retake the city at the beginning of August 2021. This offensive was ultimately successful.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58138507|title=Mozambique insurgency: Key port retaken from insurgents - Rwanda|date=8 August 2021 |access-date=8 August 2021}}
As Mocímboa da Praia has traditionally served as a major hub for smuggling in narcotics and minerals, observers believe that the conquest has allowed IS-CAP to impose taxes which provide it with a steady revenue stream.{{cite web| url = https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/terrorism-mozambiques-cabo-delgado-data.html | title = Terrorism in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province: Examining the data and what to expect in the coming years | last = Renon| first = Eva | work = IHS Markit| date = 5 April 2021 | access-date = 15 April 2021 }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}}
{{Post-Cold War African conflicts}}
Category:Battles of the insurgency in Cabo Delgado
Category:Battles involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant