SUMMARY

ASWJ (Ahlu al-Sunna wa'l Jama'a) was an Islamist rebel group that began an armed insurrection against the government of Mozambique in 2017. ASWJ operated in Mozambique's northernmost province, Cabo Delgado, a Muslim-majority province in the otherwise mostly Christian country. The group was notable for its widespread use of one-sided violence, often beheading people in remote villagers in connection to stealing their food, forced recruitment and kidnapping of women for forced marriage. The group reportedly encouraged civilians to flee the areas in which it operated, by threatening to return and kill those that remained behind.

On 24 July 2019, ASWJ pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS). From that date, one-sided violence conducted by the group is part of the IS - Civilians dyad, and state-based violence is part of the Mozambique: Islamic State conflict.