ISIS-linked militant attacks on Mozambique reserve, kills 10

A wave of violence linked to Islamic State-affiliated extremists has rportedly rocked one of Africa’s largest protected wildlife areas, the Niassa Reserve in Mozambique, The Guardian on Sunday, May 18, 2025, reports.

These recent attacks have led to at least 10 deaths and are threatening decades of progress in wildlife conservation.

The deteriorating security situation has brought all conservation efforts in the reserve to a halt and displaced thousands of local residents.

On April 29, armed militants targeted facilities within Niassa Reserve, killing two anti-poaching scouts.

Another scout was critically injured, and two remain missing.

This violent raid, which was later claimed by the Islamic State-Mozambique group, followed a similarly brutal attack just 10 days earlier on a nearby safari camp.

That assault left two individuals beheaded and six soldiers dead.

As a result of the violence, a village housing around 2,000 people has been abandoned.

Also, conservation work throughout Niassa has been suspended.

Local community and wildlife organizations have warned that more than 20 years of painstaking conservation achievements are now at risk.

The attacks have generated widespread fear among local communities, with the brutality, including beheadings, instilling a deep sense of insecurity and panic.

Colleen Begg, managing director of the Niassa Carnivore Project, reported that her organization’s headquarters were among those hit in the April 29 attack.

She emphasized that the fear caused by such gruesome acts is intentional and has had devastating effects on the area’s conservation and tourism sectors.

Begg warned that the cessation of tourism, which is vital for both economic and conservation sustainability, could have long-term consequences, possibly lasting years.

Niassa Reserve is notable for its vast, unspoiled wilderness.

Spanning 4.2 million hectares (roughly 10 million acres), the reserve is about the size of Switzerland and one of Africa’s most significant biodiversity sanctuaries.

It is home to approximately 1,000 lions, 350 critically endangered African wild dogs, and growing populations of elephants, buffalo, and other keystone species.

The region’s ecological importance, coupled with its lack of fencing and natural, open habitat, makes it uniquely valuable not just to Mozambique but to global conservation efforts.

Discussions were underway to nominate Niassa as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This plan has now been reportedly jeopardized by the rising violence.

The insurgents behind these attacks are part of Islamic State-Mozambique, a group locally referred to as al-Shabaab, though it is not connected to the Somali organization of the same name.

Since emerging in 2017, this group has displaced more than one million people in northern Mozambique.

Government forces reportedly responded strongly after the group attacked Palma in 2021.

This led to the suspension of a major gas project by TotalEnergies.

On the other hand, the insurgents continue to operate in the country’s northernmost regions, including Niassa.

The current wave of violence has led to the abandonment of nine conservation and safari camps, one of which has been completely destroyed.

Begg stressed the urgent need for international and governmental support to restore peace and protect both human and animal life in the reserve.

She explained that without security, local residents cannot safely engage in daily activities such as farming or gathering natural resources like honey.

For conservationists, the situation is unworkable, and the fear and instability have deterred tourism completely.

“The top priority is resolving the insurgency,” Begg said.

“If there is no peace, people cannot harvest their crops, conservationists cannot work, and tourists will not visit.

“This situation is absolutely devastating,” she added.

In response, the Mozambican army has launched operations to pursue and combat the extremist group, but the crisis remains ongoing.

Conservation leaders fear that without swift and effective action, not only will human lives continue to be lost, but the ecological treasures of Niassa, built up over two decades, could be irreparably damaged.

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