Football pitch turns into execution ground: Islamist militants behead over 50 people in village in Mozambique

A football pitch in the African country of Northern Mozambique became a theatre of killing as Islamist militants affiliated with terror group Islamic State (IS)  beheaded over 50 people.

According to international reports, the terrorists chanted 'Allahu Akbar' as they raided Nanjaba village on Friday night, and set homes alight, BBC reported. The villagers who tried to flee were taken to a football pitch and were beheaded and chopped into pieces.

About 2,000 people are killed and over 400,000 people were rendered homeless after a conflict broke out in the mainly-Muslim province. 

The terrorists are linked to Islamic State (IS) and are steadily gaining a foothold in Southern Africa.  

The killings are the latest in a series of attacks the militants carried out in Cabo Delgado province since 2017.

The aim of the attack was to establish Islamic rule in the region and has exploited poverty and unemployment to recruit youth in the region. Many locals complain that they have not benifitted from the province's ruby and gas industries.

Another group of militants carried out another attack in Muatide village.