Mozambique has been battling Islamic insurgents who attacked the northern town of Macomia, President Filipe Nyusi said.
“Macomia is under attack since this morning. Fire exchange continues,” Nyusi said in a televised address on Friday.
After 45 minutes of fighting, the Jihadists withdrew before attacking again, according to AFP and Reuters news agencies.
Macomia has a special significance to Mozambique thanks to its gas reserves, but its location in the Cabo Delgado province, where an Islamists insurgency has been brewing since 2017, makes it an easy prey of attacks.
The International Organization for Migration said in March that over 110,000 people had been displaced in the province since the end of last year.
Infighting in northern Mozambique has thwarted investments including a $20 billion gas project by Total Energies, which has been suspended since 2021.