Sat Mar 15 17:29:02 UTC 2025: ## French Prosecutors Open Manslaughter Investigation into TotalEnergies Over 2021 Mozambique Attack
**Paris, France** – French prosecutors announced Saturday the opening of a manslaughter investigation into energy giant TotalEnergies following a deadly 2021 jihadist attack in northern Mozambique. The investigation, launched Friday by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office, follows a legal action filed in October 2023 by survivors and relatives of victims who accuse the company of failing to protect its subcontractors during the assault on Palma.
The attack, carried out by Islamic State-linked militants in March 2021, resulted in the deaths of dozens, with estimates ranging from 30 to over 1,400, including 55 Total contractors. Survivors described harrowing accounts of being abandoned by TotalEnergies, with allegations including the refusal to provide fuel for a crucial helicopter rescue operation. One survivor, Nicholas Alexander, expressed relief that the investigation was underway, stating a desire for “a proper judicial inquiry and some clear answers.”
The complainants accuse TotalEnergies of involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist persons in danger. While TotalEnergies has strongly denied the accusations and claims to have evacuated all staff, the company stated it will fully cooperate with the investigation. The investigation is a significant development, particularly given concerns that TotalEnergies’ size and influence might hinder accountability.
The attack prompted TotalEnergies to halt its $20 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the region, though the company is seeking to restart it, recently securing a $4.7 billion loan from the US Export-Import Bank. Several NGOs have urged financiers to oppose the project’s restart, citing human rights concerns and environmental impacts. The investigation’s outcome could have significant implications for the project’s future and the broader debate surrounding corporate responsibility in conflict zones.
First Piper 