Mocímboa da Praia

Mocímboa da Praia is a port town in northern Mozambique, lying on the Indian Ocean coast, located in Cabo Delgado Province. It is a border post for travel to and from Tanzania and is the seat of Mocímboa da Praia District.

Mocímboa da Praia
Mocímboa da Praia
Coordinates: 11°21′S 40°20′E
Country Mozambique
ProvincesCabo Delgado Province
Control Islamic State (Since August 2020)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total127,705

History
Mocímboa da Praia

The city was prominent during the colonial period due to its port, which served the export market, and because of its easy access to Tanzania and the north. The Portuguese army had a base there during the independence struggle. During the Mozambican Civil War it was a safe area for internally displaced people. Many people resettled here after the 1992 peace accords.

In 2017, an Islamic extremist group linked to ISIL named "Ansar al-Sunna" attacked the city during the Insurgency in Cabo Delgado, killing 17 people.[1] Another attack took place on March 24, 2020,[2] which briefly gave the militants control of the city before they were driven out by the Mozambique Defence Armed Forces.[3] Islamist insurgents took control of the city on August 12, 2020, after defending government forces ran short of ammunition and evacuated, some by sea.[4][5] Efforts to retake the city from militants were launched immediately.[6]

Economy

Its economy relies mainly on fishing and logging.

Demographics
Year Population[7]
2017 127,705

References
  1. "ISS Today: Mozambique's first Islamist attacks shock the region". Daily Maverick. 27 October 2017.
  2. Fidelis Mbah (24 March 2020). "'We are dying': Residents lament attacks in northern Mozambique". Al Jazeera.
  3. "Mozambique: Is Cabo Delgado the latest Islamic State outpost?". BBC News. 5 May 2020.
  4. "Mocimboa da Praia: Key Mozambique port 'seized by IS'". BBC News. 12 August 2020.
  5. Jane Flanagan (13 August 2020). "Isis seizes key Mozambique port city after six-day battle". The Times.
  6. Andrew Harding (13 August 2020). "Mocimboa da Praia: Mozambique battles for port seized by IS". BBC News.
  7. "Mozambique: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. Retrieved 2008-06-18.


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