At least three people have been beheaded in a new outbreak of Islamist violence in northern Mozambique, According to police.

“Last Friday, terrorists invaded some farms in the first village in Macomia district and beheaded three citizens and kidnapped some women,” provincial police chief Vicente Chicote told AFP.

“After that they went to another farm where they beheaded more people,” he added.

On Sunday, the insurgents attacked the village of Chicomo, where a gunbattle broke out with military forces there, Chicote said.

On Wednesday, the insurgents staged arson attacks in yet another village in Macomia, he added.

The attacks are the deadliest violence so far this year.

The non-profit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reported that at least six people were beheaded in the latest unrest.

Since jihadist unrest erupted in northern Mozambique in October 2017, nearly 4,000 people have been killed and 820,000 have been displaced.

Since July of last year, more than 3,100 troops from several African countries have moved into the troubled Cabo Delgado province and retaken much of the territory.