JIHADISTS have taken control of a major port in an oil-rich region of Mozambique after sinking a ship owned by former president Armando Guebuza during a battle with government security forces.

The Isis-affiliated Islamic State Central Africa Province (Iscap), which aims to establish a caliphate in the region, overran the armed forces during a fierce six-day battle in Mocimboa da Praia, which intensified on Wednesday.

The town, in Capo Delgado province in Mozambique’s oil-rich north, is home to one of Africa’s largest investment projects, the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility by the French company Total.

Mozambique’s defence forces (FDS) confirmed that “terrorists” launched “sequenced attacks” on several villages surrounding the port over the past week in an attempt to occupy the town.

“At the moment, there are ongoing actions to neutralise the terrorists that are using populations in the affected areas as shields,” an FDS statement said.

Construction at the multi-billion-dollar project has frequently been attacked by jihadists, with the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (Acled) reporting increased activity in the previous week.

On June 8 construction workers were killed by Iscap insurgents. According to Acled around 1,300 people in northern Mozambique have been killed since 2017, with more than 250,000 people internally displaced.

Between March and June, jihadists took control of numerous villages as well as the local capitals in the districts of Mocimboa da Praia, Quissanga, Muidumbe and Macomia.

Support is arriving from South African private security companies but the jihadist operation has become more sophisticated.

Total remains undeterred by the unrest and is ploughing ahead with the lucrative $23 billion (£17.5 bn) project.