After a series of attacks in Ancuabe in early June, insurgents advanced into Chiúre, a district in southern Cabo Delgado that borders Nampula province. Many displaced people from the northernmost districts of Cabo Delgado sought shelter in Nampula.

Information obtained by MZNews reports that the Islamic State claims responsibility for an attack on June 12 in the village of Retene, in the administrative post of Mazeze, about 25 km east of the Chiúre district headquarters.

From that alleged attack several civilians, whose number was not advanced, lost their lives, and about 70 houses were burned. On the same date, about eight kilometers away, in the village of Mazeze, there were also clashes.

However, people who witnessed the attacks told a portal that disseminates its information in English that the attack in Mazeze took place the day before, i.e. on June 11, and that there were at least ten deaths.

However, so far there is no direct confirmation of this attack and, given its proximity, it is unclear whether these rumors refer to the attack on Retene or a separate incident, our source writes.

The villages of Retene and Mazeze are only 50 km from the provincial capital of Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado.

Another unconfirmed report suggests that the village of Micolene, 14 km west of Retene, was attacked and buildings set on fire on June 13.

On June 14, local reports suggested that insurgents beheaded a man the previous day in Mecufi district east of Chiúre. One source claimed that the attack took place in Mancuaia, approximately west of the Mecufi district headquarters.

Neither Chiure nor Mecufi had been attacked by insurgents until this week.

According to the source, police are limiting access to the roads connecting Chiúre and Montepuez to Pemba, and videos appearing in the media show major traffic jams outside Pemba as all vehicles entering the city are being sought by insurgent infiltrators.

A report by the International Organization for Migration estimates that at least 11,737 people were displaced between June 2 and June 13.