At least three Americans were evacuated after suspected insurgents attacked and burned a hunting camp in a wildlife reserve in northern Mozambique, according to a source familiar with the incident. The three Americans were reportedly out hunting when the attack occurred near the Niassa Special Reserve, close to the insurgency-hit province of Cabo Delgado. Camp staff fled and Mozambique's military responded, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
There were no confirmed fatalities, the source said. However, independent publication Zitamar News, which first reported the attack late Thursday, suggested there had been deaths. Regional security analyst Tertius Jacobs said he believed insurgents had also abducted several civilians.
Neither the reported deaths nor abductions could be independently verified. A State Department spokesperson said the U.S. Embassy in Mozambique was aware of an attack on a hunting lodge near the Niassa Special Reserve but did not confirm whether Americans had been involved.
Mozambique has battled an Islamic State-linked insurgency in the gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado since 2017. The conflict has killed thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. The State Department had already warned Americans not to travel to the Niassa Special Reserve for any reason, saying terrorists had targeted upscale hunting lodges in and around the area and taken hostages.
Big-game hunting season in the reserve runs from May through November and regularly attracts hunting parties from the United States. Jacobs, an analyst with Focus Group, which monitors the insurgency, said the attack occurred near Marangira village in Niassa province. He said insurgents allegedly abducted several civilians and looted supplies before retreating toward Cabo Delgado.
Available information also supported reports that three Americans were affected, Jacobs said, although the number of casualties and people allegedly abducted remained unverified. The Mozambican government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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