Article Link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/10/isil-linked-attackers-behead-50-people-in-northern-mozambique
ISIL, also known as ISIS, is a terrorist organization that has been linked to a recent attack in the Cabo Delgado province of northern Mozambique. Over 50 people were beheaded and many bodies of young men and boys were found dismembered and spread throughout a local forest. The attackers also burned down many homes and abducted many women and children.
Cabo Delgado, a province home to a multi-billion dollar liquefied natural gas project, has been fighting ISIS since 2017. This ongoing crisis has been linked to over 2,000 deaths since then, as well as leaving 300,000 IDPs and 712,000 people in need of humanitarian aid. The attackers have continually captured vast amounts of land and terrified citizens over the past few years.
Though it is generally agreed that these events are linked to ISIS, many speculate that the poverty and inequality in Mozambique are at the root of the issue, not so much religion. Due to Mozambique’s past as an important trading hub, there are many different ethnic groups, religions, and languages represented within the country. These various and deep-set social cleavages within Mozambique have made the country susceptible to corruption, with economic decline as a major issue. In a state with a prosperous economy, these tensions would be much less of an issue (such as in Belgium), but because poverty is widespread it is natural that groups would actively seek a scapegoat.
Issues like this are prevalent throughout many African states, as many of their borders were chosen by Europeans during colonization, and are therefore not reflective of ethnic, religious, or even linguistic groups. Because of these differences, Africa, a continent wealthy with natural resources, has been set back a great deal in regards to utilizing those resources to their advantage.
These ongoing attacks in northern Mozambique can be linked to class in various ways. ISIS is considered a non-state actor, as it is a terrorist organization that is not confined within a single state. Many IGOs, or inter-governmental organizations have gotten involved, such as the African Union, which seeks to unify Africa politically. NGOs, or non-governmental organizations are also extensively involved in Mozambique due to their great need for humanitarian aid.