The insurgency begun in 2017 in the mostly Muslim northern Cabo Delgado province with unemployed and disgruntled youth joining or supporting the group known as Ansar al-Sunna (ASWJ). In 2019 the insurgents have pledged alliance to the Islamic State (IS) and declared itself as the Islamic State Central Africa Province (IS-CAP). The group’s attacks have resulted in over 3000 deaths and displacement of around 800,000 people and also effected the nation’s economy.