On April 7, 2020, jihadists from Islamic State – Central Africa Province in Mozambique killed at least fifty-two young civilians in Xitaxi, Muidumbe District, Mozambique after the young men of the village refused to join the group.[1] The massacre was one of the deadliest massacres perpetrated by Mozambique's cell of the Islamic State.
| Xitaxi massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Insurgency in Cabo Delgado | |
| Location | Xitaxi, Muidumbe District, Mozambique |
| Date | April 7, 2020 |
| Deaths | 52+ |
| Perpetrator |  Islamic State - Central Africa Province |
| Motive | Refusal from civilians to join ISCAP |
Background
editBeginning in 2017, radicalized Islamists in northern Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province began conducting attacks on villages and Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM) across the province, and attempting to create an Islamic State in Mozambique.[2] The group gained recognition from Islamic State affiliates in the DRC, and became part of Islamic State – Central Africa Province (ISCAP).[2] In early 2020, ISCAP launched offensives against FADM across Cabo Delgado, seizing roads and territory in Quissanga and Muidumbe.[2] The group even captured Mocímboa da Praia briefly.[3]
Massacre
editWhen ISCAP invaded the town of Xitaxi in early April, they attempted to recruit the young men of the town into joining the group.[4] The young men refused, and were called to a meeting in the center of the town.[5] They were subsequently all "brutally and cruelly" beheaded by the militants.[6] At least fifty-two people were killed in the massacre, and FADM and Mozambican provincial police only gained access to Xitaxi weeks after the massacre.[4]
Aftermath
editMany of Xitaxi's residents and families of the victims fled the town after the massacre, with many ending up in refugee camps across the country.[5] A survivor of the massacre speaking to Mail and Guardian stated that the bodies were abandoned in the immediate aftermath of the attack, and some were eaten by dogs.[7] The Xitaxi massacre was one of the deadliest massacres committed by ISCAP since the start of the insurgency.[6]
Mozambican interior minister Amade Miquidade stated that on April 7, thirty-nine ISCAP militants were killed when they attempted to attack the city of Muidumbe.[8] Fifty-nine more were killed in a battle on the Quirimbas Islands on April 10, and thirty-one more were killed in a battle on Ibo Island between April 11 and 13.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Incident Summary for GTDID: 202004070008". www.start.umd.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b c "Actor Profile: Islamic State Mozambique" (PDF). Cabo Ligado. October 17, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ Burke, Jason (2020-04-22). "Islamist group kills 52 in 'cruel and diabolical' Mozambique massacre". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b Burke, Jason (2020-04-22). "Islamist group kills 52 in 'cruel and diabolical' Mozambique massacre". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b "Mozambique's Rapale camp: A transit to nowhere". The Mail & Guardian. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b "Moçambique: Jihadistas massacram dezenas de pessoas em ataque selvagem em Cabo Delgado". Novo Jornal (in Portuguese). 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ "Mozambique's Rapale camp: A transit to nowhere". The Mail & Guardian. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b "Mozambique forces killed over 100 Islamist insurgents in past month: government". Reuters. April 29, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2024.