Pemba, Mozambique, Sept. 18, 2025 (Lusa) - The governor of Cabo Delgado on Thursday warned young people to be wary of dubious job offers shared on social media, to prevent them from being recruited by terrorist groups that have been operating in that province of Mozambique since 2017.
"You need to know how to use technology, you need to know that not everything you see on social media is beneficial," said Valige Tauabo during a ceremony marking the end of pre-professional internships funded by the Liquefied Natural Gas exploration project in Cabo Delgado.
Since October 2017, the gas-rich northern province of Mozambique has been facing an armed rebellion with attacks claimed by movements associated with the extremist group Islamic State.
According to Valige, it is necessary to know how to "decipher and clarify doubts" about these job offers to avoid mistakes that lead to recruitment by extremist groups operating in the province, something he described as a catastrophe.
"We want our young people to be vigilant, to continue to maintain this profile that we are sensing. Lately, we have not seen young people volunteering to join the extremist group, nor have they been misled by [job] messages," he concluded.
The province of Cabo Delgado has seen a resurgence of attacks by rebel groups since July, targeting the regions of Chiúre, Muidumbe, Quissanga, Ancuabe, Meluco and, more recently, Mocímboa da Praia.
Last week, the Mozambican government lamented the latest terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado, stating that it is the role of the state to pursue, delay and stop the attacks so that the population suffers "as little as possible".
"We regret this misfortune, but we do not stop at this component of regret. That is why we are committed to this effort, and details of this will be provided, if necessary, by the security entities that are effectively on the ground or by those responsible at the central level," said the spokesperson for the Cabinet.
Inocêncio Impissa also said that it is the role of the state to stop the "wave of criminals" in Cabo Delgado, so that there are no new attacks and the "peace of Mozambicans anywhere in the country" is not jeopardised.
In 2024 alone, at least 349 people died in attacks in northern Mozambique, most of which were claimed by Islamic State, an increase of 36% over the previous year, according to a study released by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution of the US Department of Defence.
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