TotalEnergies faces war crime allegations in the midst of Mozambique's deepening displacement crisis

Human Rights Research Center
2 hours ago
5 min read

December 22, 2025

HRRC urges states and corporate actors to work to prevent human rights violations in Mozambique and to fully cooperate with ongoing accountability processes. Sustained international scrutiny is essential to prevent further civilian harm and for the potential provision of the necessary aid.

Mozambican soldiers stand by an armored vehicle at the airport in Mocimboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique, Aug. 9, 2021 [Image made from video by Marc Hoogsteyns via AP].

Over the past few weeks, jihadist insurgents in northern Mozambique have launched a series of attacks resulting in the killing of civilians, burning of villages, and the orphaning of numerous children. The spike in violence, which is attributed to militants linked to the Islamic State, has displaced more than 100,000 people, of which two thirds are children, according to UNICEF.

The violence, which began in the northern Cabo Delgado province in 2017, has since spread into neighboring provinces, creating a refugee crisis in which over 1.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Civilians have reported chaotic nighttime attacks, in which homes are burned and summary executions, including beheadings, have taken place. Children, which make up as well as making up 67% of the total displaced population in the area, have borne the brunt of the violence, including abduction and forcible recruitment by the jihadists.

Meanwhile, corporate efforts to capitalize from energy sources, particularly natural gas, have become entangled in the severe human rights crises. For example, the French energy company TotalEnergies, which is responsible for the $20 billion offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) project – the largest private investment in Africa – has been accused of complicity in war crimes. In November, The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) filed a criminal complaint in France alleging detention and execution of civilians in shipping containers near the Afungi site in 2021.

This incident, known as the “container massacre,” resulted in the deaths of 97 men who had sought shelter at the site after fleeing the Palma attack. At the time, TotalEnergies was paying the salaries of Mozambican soldiers under a joint task force (JTF) established to safeguard the gas project. Based on internal TotalEnergies company documents, the ECCHR claims Total had knowledge of Mozambican military abuses as early as May 2020, yet continued to support the JTF by providing accommodation, food, equipment, and bonuses for soldiers.

French prosecutors now face the decision of whether to launch a formal investigation into TotalEnergies’ alleged complicity in war crimes, which could result in criminal proceedings and potential prison sentences for company executives. A judicial process is likely to take a long time, as similar cases have before, however, prolonging potential justice for victims.

This LNG project, which TotalEnergies intends to restart after having lifted force majeure in November, has faced new challenges as international financiers have pulled their support due to the allegations and instability in the region. For example, Britain and the Netherlands have both announced they are withdrawing a combined $2.2 billion in support for the project.

Despite these withdrawals, TotalEnergies has already stated it can move forward with the LNG project using equity, with over 70% of the financing already secured. Meanwhile, the US Export-Import Bank still plans to provide nearly $5 billion in funding for the project.

The overlapping crises, manmade conflict and extreme climate events (including four strong cyclones in the last 12 months and a crippling drought in 2024), have left the humanitarian response in northern Mozambique at a “breaking point”. Tens of thousands of newly displaced people are sheltering in overcrowded and inadequate conditions, often lacking food, water, shelter, and healthcare. Hygiene and sanitation conditions have deteriorated, leading to outbreaks of cholera and diarrheal diseases.

The rapid displacement of children is occurring “at a staggering pace over a short period of time,” according to UNICEF, pushing families into desperate circumstances. Resources are overstretched and funding to address the crises is insufficient, with UNHCR estimating it will require $38.2 million in 2026 to meet rising needs, but noting that 2025 funding has achieved only fifty percent of the required amount to adequately address the crisis.

Glossary

Afungi site – the peninsula in Cabo Delgado where TotalEnergies built its onshore LNG plant and workers’ camp.
Alleged - Used to describe a person who has been charged with a crime, though a final decision has not been reached by a court.
Capitalize - take the chance to gain advantage from.
Cholera and diarrheal diseases - cholera is a severe, life-threatening diarrheal infection from Vibrio cholerae, causing rapid dehydration via contaminated water/food, thriving in poor sanitation during crises.
Complicity - the fact or condition of being involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong.
“Container massacre” – the alleged 2021 incident in which civilians detained near the Afungi site are said to have been executed inside shipping containers.
Cyclone – a rapidly rotating storm system formed over warm tropical seas, bringing destructive winds and flooding.
Equity - the value of the shares issued by a company.
European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) –independent, non-profit non-governmental organization with the aim of enforcing human rights through legal means. Using litigation, it tries to hold state and non-state actors responsible for human rights violations.
Export-credit agency – a government-backed body that offers loans or insurance to help domestic companies invest abroad.
Force majeure – a legal clause that frees a company from fulfilling a contract when extraordinary events (war, natural disaster, etc.) make it impossible.
Hygiene and sanitation conditions - critical components of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector, aimed at saving lives and preserving public health by preventing the spread of disease.
Islamic State - refers to a specific Salafi-jihadist militant group that briefly controlled large territories in Iraq and Syria, proclaiming a global Caliphate and aiming for radical Islamic governance.
Jihadist - someone who participates and identifies with the struggle or fight against the enemies of Islam and for the protection of the Islamic community.
Joint Task Force (JTF) – a temporary military unit formed from several services or countries to achieve a specific objective; here, the Mozambique-security/JTF set up to protect the Afungi gas site.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) – natural gas that has been cooled to –162 °C so it becomes a liquid for easier transport and storage.
Palma attack - insurgent attack on Palma town by the armed group Al-Shabab in March and April 202.
Prosecutors - a person, especially a public official, who institutes legal proceedings against someone.
Safeguard - to protect from harm or damage with an appropriate measure.
Summary execution - a killing taking place without a full and fair trial to determine guilt.
US Export-Import Bank - government's official export credit agency, a wholly-owned federal corporation.

Sources

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TotalEnergies faces war crime allegations in the midst of Mozambique's deepening displacement crisis

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