Mozambique has said that five of its nationals were killed in what it described as xenophobic attacks in South Africa over the weekend, amid a fresh wave of anti-immigrant tensions in the country.
However, South African police confirmed only two Mozambican nationals were killed during violence in the coastal town of Mossel Bay, while also reporting the death of a South African teenager in separate circumstances.
The Mozambican government said seven of its citizens died in total, stating that five were killed in xenophobic violence and two others died in a road accident while returning home. Authorities in South Africa, however, have disputed parts of the account, confirming only the two deaths linked to assaults.
Police said dozens of informal dwellings were torched during the unrest, with some reports indicating that residents were inside when the fires were set. The violence has been linked to rising anti-migrant sentiment and protests against undocumented foreign nationals.
Local officials in Mossel Bay expressed concern over the situation, describing reports of killings, arson, and displacement of families.
The unrest has triggered regional concern, with several African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, taking steps to assist or repatriate citizens from South Africa as tensions escalate.
South Africa has experienced repeated waves of xenophobic violence over the past decades, often driven by tensions over jobs, migration, and economic hardship. Previous major outbreaks were recorded in 2008, 2015, and 2016.
