New Delhi, April 12 -- Militants that were believed to be linked with the Islamic State on March 24, launched a combined coordinated assault on the city of Palma in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province, killing dozens of people, which also included foreign nationals who were working on the nearby Afungi Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project construction site.

Following the insurgent assault and the ensuing three-day fighting between insurgents and security forces, the northern town of Palma, which usually has about 75,000 inhabitants, is now abandoned.

Due to the incapacity of Mozambican security forces to prevent or combat the militants, the insurgents are most likely to keep a stronghold of Palma city, port, and environs for the ...