Next season. A battle for northern mozambique iceland fighters say they are in control of horse post a major gas projects thousands have been killed and displaced in years of instability so is this the start of a new wave of violence this is it. Hello welcome to the program. Government forces in mozambique fighting to regain control of an area in the north soldiers are trying to push back to fight his in cowboy delgado province the regions rich and Natural Resources but his face years of attacks and conflict on wednesday fighters took control of the port of missing body problem which is now a offshore gas projects worth 60000000000. 00 the army says is killed 59. 00 fighters in running street battles but local media say the soldiers run out of ammunition the defense minister is accusing the fighters of receiving outside help. We knew. The enemy has infiltrated several neighborhoods dressed as civilians benefiting from complicity attacking the village from the inside causing destruction looting and murdering defenseless citizens. And attacks on naval means of rescue from the ports of the symbol. So reports from neighboring zimbabwe. In may have been made here to discuss the crisis in mozambique but after talking there was no reward when the region can. Assist mozambique leaders will meet again on monday and save this time then the increasing pressure to actually do something one of the expectations that one would be of. From our leadership. I live or Fact Finding Mission that would be to mozambique and this is a mix of intelligence military intelligence political economy and. Humanitarian experts trying to establish the extent and the gravity of the situation in. Another muslim because mozambiques president felipe visited the area affected by the violence and he promised to do more to assist people there this speculation some other countries in Southern Africa could send in troops to assist mozambiques army its happened before in the democratic republic of congo in the city and in mozambique back when a number of fighters were causing problems there most governments this fight is affiliated to i saw are responsible for the violence the area in northern missouri it is rich in natural gas and some projects are worth more than 60000000000. 00 theres a concern that the fighting could spill over into other countries in the region similar to whats being seen currently on the continent in the sahara region and the horn of africa. The inside story. The latest attack on the port town of the same body price is the 3rd this year the violence began 3 years ago in a spread to many areas of the cabinet who got a region in that time monitoring groups say that 1500 people have been killed at least 250000 displaced from their homes mozambiques army has a large presence in the region but support is being provided by private military groups from russia and south africa analysts say more help is needed from neighboring countries. Lets bring in our panel joining us from mozambiques capital of up to 2 editor of the news websites it tomorrow and also in my pursuit is a not only sharda a research on the Africa DivisionHuman Rights Watch welcome to you or lets begin with you tom youve been covering this story for a while now you clearly have some insight to share with us but 1st i want to start with the obvious question what group is this locally they known as alshabaab they link to to isolate according to the mozambique government. But thats not it thats more of an ideological association rather than a practical one so who we actually talking about when we talk about this actual group. Its still not really with full confidence. To what extent its. A local group that was formed likely has its has its origins locally to what extent its employees from outside through the Islamic State through Islamic State offshoots day and. Day are congo in particular in uganda tanzania potentially up to somalia where. People are making links but that could just be because of the many mal theres some. Theres some confusion around that as well but. Yeah we its its a its a matter of ongoing study and debate i think exactly here these people are and do what they want but what subsidy clear though is this group is taking advantage of internal conflicts within mozambique internal grievances of the most have been much like the book or on much like alshabaab what theyre doing is theyre offering people who are at the poorest and alternative to come and fight is it very much local there or do you think there are outside influences like the mozambique government says. I think there probably is a bit of a you definitely right that its its feeding off of local grievances and and. You know deep seated john happiness with the way mozambique has developed. And the exclusion i think the people in the Northern Province capital got a feel from the development of mozambique such as it is which i mean even the rest the maize and become the richer parts where i am a harpy hardly rich by most of the world standards but yeah i kept oh god or as you say the insurgency can feed off our existing grievances there among the people. Not on the show to in as well what do you think what do you think is driving a group like this within them. You know like like tom said i mean there are many things that are driving the group ladies but one for sure makes it easier for them to uproot is the fact that this is a country full of young people who are in much in their lives from the system will feel excluded from the political decisions from did not make decisions from the decisions as well. That is different and i think in their income due to sentiment is even bigger because these young people can see what is going on in the province in terms of Huge Investment multinationals arriving 7 areas getting Development Well i dont want. To some of them their main source of income which was what we call it is a nonbinding has been removed from them to give space to the multinationals to do their own exploitation. And of course then i also always thought it going to lament tribal divisions. In the region and all of those elements have made it easier for such group to penetrate recruits and somehow begin to make the gains that were seeing in the in the past few months. Sonata it is interesting that the you say that you know this is a very much a local issue but we are hearing that this is being exploited by fighters from neighboring countries are you convinced it is a local issue only or do you think it has the potential to spread as an insurgency. But at this stage im not convinced of anything because i think all of us are trying to understand what exactly is going on in get when to go can assure you is that if there were not to limits of discontent internally whatever group from miles will not answer it will never find space to operate in a country like mars and. The way his group is operating in this clearly a group that understands the tyranny in some cases better than the army forces. Its a good book that understands the language that they understand the culture and in some games understands that only genres where so it means that if it is an external interference if these are external people somehow. Like the president saying yesterday that these people are trying to divide us because of our wealth in where their kids you cannot divide the house that is united isnt it. They were able to find in was in beaker 1st tried to train people who were discontent people who can be offered any type of money to joined a group of people the way the getting fired themselves with the ideas as well with the objectives of the group which we dont know what they are at this stage at this stage but the reason why the group has been able to make the gains it has been made to make any has offered very difficult access i have been into those regions i mean you dreadful about and now all more without seeing gausss inside the bush and by day im glad i have to have you know june or that these groups theyre already been into doors less so it means they nodded you then very well then more to walk around those regions they are not cults whether dan leadership is from abroad thats a question that i want to be able to and say this conversation well tom let me bring you in the hair there are shades of 2014 in the takeover of mosul in iraq 2nd largest city there by arsenal fighters they went in they took. That city over what they did was they routed the Security Forces here here in couple gado we are hearing that the the army just ran out of ammunition they were forced out. With a expecting were you expecting another an attack of this nature of this size or was this a surprise to both mozambique and people observe it. I dont because this prize i think weve. Learned over recent months so its been reasonable to conclude that the insurgents want to take midsomer the priority keep targeting i think what will be interesting to see of the coming days and weeks is whether they trying to hang on to it i mean it was interesting but yet very managed to make the big forces run out of armor and supplies while they themselves at least according to the defense minister yesterday were being supplied from bases outside the country he says he needs. But yet they managed to prevent the mozambique an army actually resupplying itself. Within mozambique so yeah it was probably not a surprise to see it happen i would get my symbol to prior which does seem to be a Strategic Asset for them what one doesnt seem to be a target for them at least so far and this is been going on for almost 3 years now is the big projects just to the north talking with some would apply or will be an impediment to the progress of that project. But the insurgents havent stopped at the gas but i think i want people kind of assumed when they started that that was this was a war over Gas Resources maybe it is maybe it isnt but. As you say they they seem to want to make. Maybe the capital of of the land that they can carve out for themselves and cut their guard if theyre able to do that and indeed if thats the way marine but this is what were able to surmise up to now but the mozambique authorities are using private Security Forces private Security Companies to help them in this battle those helicopters coming in from a number of companies but it doesnt seem to have worked does it i mean we have stage where mozambique needs an interventional International Intervention much like the one in iraq and in syria yeah i think the private military contracts is probably worked as far as they cure it given the limits resources that mozambique has been able to get some progress. But yeah i think what appears to be or they still contested to appears to be a major defeat in the simba at the start of this week is it is a really bizarre really pours up the mozambique military and their private mitchie contracts or dyke advisory groups supporting them as well so. Yes it does seem reasonable to very probably anyway are turning this around militarily it will be through International Support which theres very strong sign as any on its way and well given is an order that we have the government is blaming the Islamic State blaming eisel for this thats a good way of grabbing International Attention by saying the we have the Islamic State within our borders you did it in iraq you did it in syria you need to help us here now do you think that the the government is looking for International Support and thats why its claiming that this group is linked i so i think the link between the group and i so way before the government itself made such claims we have seen the websites that they have put additionally between 2 eyes claiming to have made military gains in. But going back to 2 to your question on. The fact that discomfit is going to die i says sure not troll more day shout from International Community i think not just because i suppose because we have heard. What they can do in other parts of the wharves and when you look at the didnt need asians muslims because its a country one doesnt want to be nice even one team agent just valid enough to station that it is in other places but but but not just because there is a general risk looking fault and because of it i think we. Put that point for the International Community to be focused on whats going on in was and big is this kid a last few money to disaster that seems to be looming i mean we are talking about a very poor country that has just come out and also areas where mind you just said of that theyve been affected by by this country that the same areas that weather affected by this cycle on candidate you just last year saw were talking about over 200000 people displaced. Over 900 people did. Over and at schools that have been affected by disconsolate hows is that the band down almost inevitably at tack that we see. Over 500. 00 have tax i mean this is a skid loss of distraction that its going to be very ad for the mozambique and government to fix on its own it needs help and i think. Distorted were hearing about what people are suffering in the camps that they manage to run to we are hearing about outbreaks of cholera for example and at times of course we have 9000. 00 so that is a lot for them wasnt become government to manage a distaste and of course you cant needs help why the government does not clearly and openly mate made that request their partners. Its an answer that i dont know what i have tried to find out the government you see shes got money on their own we know that they have requested privately some new money tyrion help but we also know that some you money that includes leaving those areas for example michael me i am was seen whatever i areas that people level must be left on their own and they are running the way they i think themselves in the bush we dont any thought lords or any shelter. I think its time the International Community based yet deshaun that it needs to not just from the money that in the world but also on the rights. That is a problem of. Some would you agree that with our with our guest not a shot id like would you agree that actually it does need more International Support it does need more International Cooperation however before you answer that one let me tell you i mean we have a gas project that was 60000000000. 00 they seem to be money that they could use to fix the country so i guess the question is is that why and should they have International Cooperation. Yeah mozambique is not. Not monetize that gas yet its not its not rich you have no gas. Tar witcher is running one of the 2 projects are parents just signed financing were for 15. 1000000000 dollars i think for getting my numbers on the dance and the reason of that. For the project so yeah banks have lent to the project and i have a project has got the money to defend it so poorly. And to contribute to amazing big zafir but i think. I mean resume consistently had a pretty weak military. Which words are unable to defeat your knowledge or in a long running civil war and. Arguably been weakened even since the end of that in the mid ninetys. Its. Its a very its a bit limited its ability now it seems every day where we hear theyre sending in. Huge amounts of reinforcements northwoods an ounce cup were going to i mean its i guess it seems incredibly late to start doing wrapper but yes thats the thats the seriousness very rapid it does seem unlikely of amazing beacons can really turn this around on my right and so i do think. Militarily of only willing to help but also. The humanitarian situation is extremely extremely serious and. The time thats actually making the humanitarian situation thats not i was talking about makes a very fertile recruiting ground for disaffected people disaffected youth who are looking at the failures of the government and looking for a group that represents the interests i mean much more than just you cant defeat eisel militarily weve seen that in syria and in iraq you can defeat them on the ground but the ideology remains if there is still anger from local youths now there seems to be that anger that so its not just about the military its about the ideology as well how in mozambique can you fight that ideology if they simply isnt the will to do it. Yes its. The war for hearts and minds and kept on asking me to be important in the long running fights against iran so who every people are. And you do fear that the mozambique authorities are squandering that somewhat the police and military are violating human rights absorb millions up there and obviously the biggest threat to civilians over the last few years has been the insurgence and you know i think. Theyve not gone in our sympathy but recently theres been signs that the insurgency have been trying to win hearts and minds of locals. And the like inside of the. Defense forces have not been doing a very good job of securing those hearts and minds for the state side. So yeah you make an important point about that something that the mozambican authorities are going to have surprised as well because like you say its a difficult one possible to win this kind of war militarily and its a not a you face a jewel challenge then dont you when it comes to human rights abuses within the itself youve got the one hand the Insurgent Group making their own human rights abuses but then youve built the government as well not supporting and perhaps not adhering to human rights standards i mean one of them the the main differences between the 21 of the challenges that you face. I think. Why you one side the School Meeting does abuse as a strategy will fall im talking about the Insurgent Groups the other side local meets those atrocities. Maybe at times as a strategy and most times for lack of knowledge of dont pick ations and get out. And let me give you an example of how Government Forces human rights abuses for example happened. Did a send up dug in was seen by that i mean more similar the cry at its top that most of the dance of the op the town of was in but that i have left the place following the 2 previous attacks one in march in jenin one in june but there are still People Living there and ever since the insurgents had arrived at the place said the government is now telling us that they were dressed their c. V. Ends which is also a problem because it raises questions about the ability of disorder just all differentiate between who are the insurgents and who are deceiving but going back to my point ever since they had arrived at the town theres been no effort from this unit was to protect the locals these people have left them dont want their running away and their wonder findings shelter in the bulls some of them have been living in the bush as a matter of fact since much there is local sense of helping them to get to camps where they can find safety shelter food clothing and so on and those moneys to get to places in me towards years eve ball where the main there they fidget camps they go down there or and those who cannot make time to stay in the belgian controlled they are all resident there send their properties from. The people that have been told to begin fighting as we speak at the same people where they imagine june and then to see if no help from the government there on their own and and i think if the government wants to make sure that its good to trust of those residents its just a start but stepping up their efforts to protect civilians. Just very out of the very quickly because we are in essence. But i do want to ask you this question as somebody whos covered this quite extensively were in a situation where one hand washes the other where there are human rights abuses by the government humanitarian crisis and that feeds the insurgency very quickly is mozambique a quipped to deal with an escalation if they decide to not just deal with the pull but to move on to the l. N. G. Facility as well. I think the energy conservatives so its pretty broad defended my understanding is that Gas Companies are perry the various Britain Defense and Security Forces to give them particular protection. Or not to me that prepared their own Security Companies as well. I suppose there are pretty pretty will be every ticket if there is an attack on. The gas installation. But i think it seems pretty well pretty well defended experts think it might have been but then again miscarried a very recent attack on a muslim analysts say there were a 1000 insurgents i think its a couple by surprise as well sir. Thats a somewhat off stage. I want to thank all of our guests tom baca and senator and thank you for watching you can see the program again any time by visiting our website aljazeera telecom and further discussion as well Facebook Page thats facebook dot com forward slash a. J. Inside story and you can also join the conversation on twitter where at a. J. Inside story from am wrong in the entire team here and now. I. A Global Pandemic mass protests demanding change economic recession and geopolitical tensions not to mention the small matter of a looming election join me Steve Clemons in conversation with leading voices on the bottom line your weekly take on u. S. Politics and society on aljazeera. History has called it the great war in the 2nd episode the declining ultimate empire forges its alliance with germany and the central powers as the war gives birth to 3 nationalist movements determine the future world war one through our own bodies on aljazeera. And accounts 15 of the deaths children and. All the. Things of this child. You just leave us to. Try. To. Seize. The in the or the or. Hello there im the stasi attainder how with the headlines for you here on aljazeera the kremlin says its confident of a swift resolution to underestimate batteries after president Alexander Lukashenko spoke to his russian counterpart vladimir person as resisting calls to step down as thousands rally in minsk for a new day of protests the continued demands for political change coincided with a funeral held for a man killed during the days of unrest following a disputed election