Maputo — Residents of Mucojo village, in Macomia district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, have expressed their concern at the movement of supposed Islamist terrorists in the region.

According to local sources, cited by the Portuguese News Agency (Lusa), the alleged terrorists appear as civilians among the residents and, after a few days, disappear, leaving residents worried and afraid of possible attacks.

"Sometimes people appear there and then disappear, without the communities knowing for sure where they go", a source said.

The sources explained that some suspects are young people from the community, allegedly members of the armed group that carries out jihadist attacks in Cabo Delgado.

"Some are not strangers, they are from Mucojo, but they stay and then disappear without saying where they are going," said another source.

According to the residents, the reports are known to the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces, who have been on the ground to monitor the situation.

"The forces are aware and are always there in coordination with the communities, monitoring and doing everything to prevent infiltrators," a source said.

The gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado has been the target of extremist aggression since 2017, when the terrorists attacked Mocímboa da Praia district.