Islamist militants have killed around 52 people in northern Mozambique, police say. The police say that the villagers in Cabo Delgado province were “massacred”, with some beheaded, after some people refused to be recruited into the militant group. Hundreds have been killed and thousands displaced during the three-year insurgency in Cabo Delgado. No group has said it was behind the attack.

A militant group calling itself al-Shabab operates in the area and last month briefly seized control of the town of Mocimboa de Praia. It is unclear whether it is linked to the significantly larger Somali movement of the same name.

The Islamic State Central Africa Province (Iscap), affiliated with the Islamic State group, has said it was behind some previous attacks in Mozambique. (BBC)…[+]