French energy giant TotalEnergies is facing serious allegations of complicity in war crimes connected to a massacre that occurred near its multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in northern Mozambique in 2021. The company strongly denies all claims.
Human Rights Group Files Complaint in France
A complaint filed with French prosecutors by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) accuses TotalEnergies of enabling or contributing to atrocities committed by Mozambican security forces, who were providing protection to the company’s massive Afungi peninsula gas project.
According to the allegations, dozens of civilians were detained, tortured, and executed in a cluster of shipping containers located within the Total facilities. ECCHR argues that companies operating in conflict zones must be held accountable when their presence or actions contribute to human rights violations.
“Companies and their executives are not neutral actors when they operate in conflict zones… If they enable or fuel crimes, they might be complicit,” said Clara Gonzales, co-programme director for business and human rights at ECCHR.
TotalEnergies Denies Responsibility
TotalEnergies maintains that it bears no responsibility for the conduct of Mozambican government troops or affiliated security forces who were assigned to protect the LNG project. At the time, the project was considered the largest foreign investment in Africa.
Background: Violence in Cabo Delgado
The allegations stem from a period of intense conflict in Cabo Delgado, a resource-rich province where Islamist militants aligned with the Islamic State group have carried out brutal attacks for years.
In March 2021, militants overran the town of Palma, killing or abducting more than 1,500 civilians, according to investigative journalist Alex Perry. Perry also documented a reprisal massacre by Mozambican forces at the entrance to Total’s compound, describing it as the “bloodiest disaster in oil and gas history.”
Witnesses say civilians who fled to the Total site seeking safety were accused of collaborating with insurgents. Men were separated, detained in shipping containers, and later executed by security forces. Perry identified 97 victims, though he believes the real number could be twice as high.
“Most people have never heard about any of this… Today is a victory for truth and accountability,” Perry told the BBC.
The BBC has reached out to TotalEnergies for comment.
International Financial Backers Under Pressure
The UK initially offered financial guarantees to promote British participation in the LNG project. However, after the 2021 Palma massacre, the British government suspended support. Environmental and human rights groups are now urging London to permanently withdraw, arguing that the scale of allegations should be a “red line” for all financial backers.
Activists also criticized TotalEnergies for lifting force majeure on the project despite ongoing instability in the region. French banks Société Générale and Crédit Agricole have already stepped back from financing.
A Divisive Project: Promise or Disaster?
While supporters argue that the LNG development could bring transformative economic benefits to northern Mozambique, critics describe it as an ethical, environmental, and financial catastrophe, drawing parallels to the ongoing legal troubles of the French cement company Lafarge, which faces accusations of paying extremist groups in Syria.
What Comes Next?
French prosecutors will now assess the complaint filed by ECCHR. If they agree to open a formal investigation, it could become one of the most significant cases involving alleged corporate complicity in war crimes.