Five people, including four fishermen, have been beheaded by suspected Islamist militants in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado, Carta de Mocambique reports.

Four fishermen, from the village of Nacotuco in Macomia district, were returning home from the sea when they were brutally attacked along a main road at about 13:00 local time on Tuesday, the news site says.

The fifth victim was reportedly caught by the insurgents near Simbolongo village in the same district as he was cutting thatch for the roof of his hut.

Last Friday, insurgents shot dead two villagers in Nangade district who were returning home after spraying their cashew trees with pesticides.

Later the same day, three people died in an attack on an outlying neighbourhood of Nangade town.

The militants, who are known locally as "al-Shabab" although they not linked to the Somali group of the same name, have been terrorising some areas of the gas-rich Cabo Delgado since 2017.

It is believed they are making millions of dollars from selling timber and rubies.

Since the crisis began, more than 200 people - most of them defenceless villagers - have been killed.