Insurgents Attack Hunting Lodge Near Mozambique’s Niassa Reserve, Prompting Foreign Evacuations

Late last week, militants believed to be linked to an Islamic State affiliate raided a hunting lodge and the nearby town of Marangira in Mozambique’s Niassa province. Police spokesperson Osvaldo Mahando reported that one person was killed, another slightly injured, and that vehicles were burned. Local authorities said at least 11 people, including children, were abducted during the assault. The attackers looted and set fire to the lodge, damaged a health centre, police post and telecommunications tower, and forced thousands of residents to flee, according to the state news agency Agência de Informação de Moçambique (Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (AIM)).

South African among workers abducted after attack on hunting camp in Mozambique

The Islamic State-linked insurgency began in the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province in 2017 and has since spread into neighboring Niassa and Nampula provinces. United Nations estimates indicate the conflict has killed thousands and displaced more than one million people. Regional analyst Peter Bofin of Armed Conflict Location & Event Data noted that the raid marked the first incursion into Niassa since May 2025, though he characterised it as likely isolated rather than evidence of a sustained presence.

South African among workers abducted after attack on hunting camp in Mozambique

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed that five South African employees were caught up in the attack; two have returned home, two remain safe in Mozambique, and a 30-year-old mechanic is believed to have been taken hostage. The department’s spokesperson Nelson Kgwete said verification of the abduction is still pending.

Times of South Africa

At least three American citizens were evacuated after the lodge was burned, according to a source familiar with the incident cited by multiple outlets. The U.S. Embassy in Mozambique acknowledged the attack but did not confirm whether any Americans were harmed. Soccer coach Carlos Queiroz, who co-owns the lodge, said he was awaiting information from military and security authorities and described the establishment as completely burned.

The Jerusalem Post

DIRCO officials said embassy staff are working with Mozambican authorities and monitoring developments in Niassa province. A U.S. State Department spokesperson reiterated the embassy’s awareness of the attack and reiterated travel warnings advising U.S. citizens to avoid the Niassa Special Reserve and surrounding border areas.

South African among workers abducted after attack on hunting camp in Mozambique

The incident underscores the expanding reach of the insurgency into protected wildlife zones, threatening the region’s big-game hunting season, which runs from May to November and attracts U.S. hunting parties. Repeated attacks on upscale lodges have prompted heightened security measures and could further deter tourism, compounding the humanitarian impact of a conflict that has already displaced hundreds of thousands.

The Jerusalem Post