Mocímboa da Praia is a port town in northern Mozambique, lying on the Indian Ocean coast, in Cabo Delgado Province. It is used as a border post for travel to and from Tanzania even though it is 127 km from the border by road. It is the seat of Mocímboa da Praia District.
History
The city was prominent during the colonial period due to its port, which served the export market, and because of 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.[citation needed] Many people resettled here after the 1992 peace accords.[citation needed]
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] In August 2021 these efforts were successful and a combination of Rwandan and Mozambican forces retook the city.[7]
Economy
Its economy relies mainly on fishing and logging.[citation needed]
Demographics
| Year | Population[8] |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 127,705 |
References
- ^ "ISS Today: Mozambique's first Islamist attacks shock the region". Daily Maverick. 27 October 2017.
- ^ Fidelis Mbah (24 March 2020). "'We are dying': Residents lament attacks in northern Mozambique". Al Jazeera.
- ^ "Mozambique: Is Cabo Delgado the latest Islamic State outpost?". BBC News. 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Mocimboa da Praia: Key Mozambique port 'seized by IS'". BBC News. 12 August 2020.
- ^ Jane Flanagan (13 August 2020). "Isis seizes key Mozambique port city after six-day battle". The Times.
- ^ Andrew Harding (13 August 2020). "Mocimboa da Praia: Mozambique battles for port seized by IS". BBC News.
- ^ "Mozambique insurgency: Key port retaken from insurgents - Rwanda". 8 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "Mozambique: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. Retrieved 2008-06-18.[dead link]
11°21′S 40°20′E / 11.350°S 40.333°E