General information
Part of Conflict: Mozambique: Government
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 2018-01-01
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: Ansar al Sunnah is seen as having an incompatibility since the release of a video in January 2018, in which the group called on people to join the group in "the struggle against oppression; the struggle against idolatry, against mischief and against Satan". They claim to be soldiers of God in their fight to establish "the Koran as the law, religion and the government of God".
Date of first use of armed force: 2018-01-14
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 14 January 2018, Ansar al Sunnah attacked a government building in Olumbe administrative post, Palma district, killing seven people. This was the first use of armed force by the group since stating an incompatibility in early January.
The group had previously been involved in several earlier attacks, beginning in October 2017.
First Battle Related Death: 2018-01-13
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On 14 January 2018, Ansar al Sunnah attacked a government building in Olumbe administrative post, Palma district, killing seven people. This was the first use of armed force by the group since stating an incompatibility in early January.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2018-07-10
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: The dyad between the government of Mozambique and Ansar al Sunnah Mozambique reached 25 battle related deaths on 10 July 2018. On this day, Ansar al Sunnah attacked a security post close to the Tanzanian border. They killed two locals, wounded two officers, and stole weaponry from the security forces stationed there.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
2012
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Mozambique): n/a
Side B (ASWJ): n/a
2015
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Mozambique): n/a
Side B (ASWJ): n/a
2017
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Mozambique): n/a
Side B (ASWJ): n/a
2018
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 53 |
| Best | 51 |
| Low | 45 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Mozambique): n/a
Side B (ASWJ): n/a
2019
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 99 |
| Best | 97 |
| Low | 93 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Mozambique): n/a
Side B (ASWJ): n/a
2020
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Mozambique): n/a
Side B (ASWJ): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
2012 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2015 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2017 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2018 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The new salafist group called Ansar al-Sunnah emerged in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique in late 2017. In January 2018 a video emerged in which the group claimed to fight to establish “the Koran as the law, religion and the government of God”. This video is the first known stated goal of incompatibility, which is set for the 1 January 2018. While the group started of badly armed and mainly targeting civilians the security situation deteriorated in the north throughout 2018.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2019 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The jihadist group called Ansar al-Sunnah continued to increased its activity in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique during 2019. While the group started off badly armed and mainly targeting civilians in 2018, its attacks became increasingly sophisticated and often targeted the security forces in 2019. On 24 July 2019, Ansar al-Sunnah joined the Islamic State (IS), after which it was part of the territorial conflict Mozambique: Islamic State, ending its conflict over government.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Other
Date of termination: 2019-07-24
Comment on Termination: Ansar al-Sunnah joined the Islamic State (IS) on 24 July 2019, when IS published a video showing Ansar al-Sunnah pledging allegiance to its so-called Caliph, after which it was part of the territorial conflict Mozambique: Islamic State.
Comment on Termination Date: Ansar al-Sunnah joined the Islamic State (IS) on 24 July 2019, when IS published a video showing Ansar al-Sunnah pledging allegiance to its so-called Caliph, after which it was part of the territorial conflict Mozambique: Islamic State.
2020 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
