French prosecutors have initiated a preliminary investigation into TotalEnergies following allegations of negligence and indirect manslaughter by victims of a jihadist attack in Mozambique last year.
The attack, carried out by Islamist insurgents in March 2021, targeted the port city of Palma, claiming numerous civilian lives near Mozambique’s LNG infrastructure projects, which are partially owned by TotalEnergies.
Complaints filed by survivors and relatives in October accused the energy company of failing to ensure the safety of subcontractors. TotalEnergies refuted these claims, asserting their inaccuracy.
Henri Thulliez, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, confirmed the initiation of the investigation, originally reported by Agence France-Presse. The prosecutor’s office did not offer immediate comment.
Sources revealed that the preliminary investigation began late last year. Prosecutors will subsequently determine whether to dismiss the case, proceed to trial, or conduct further inquiries.
The plaintiffs, including survivors and relatives of victims, allege that TotalEnergies neglected to inform subcontractors about potential attack risks or provide adequate safety and evacuation protocols.
TotalEnergies has yet to comment on the recent developments. In October, the company responded to the complaint by affirming the existence and execution of its security plan.
Since the jihadist attack, work on TotalEnergies’ LNG project in Mozambique has been suspended. Although plans to resume operations in the first quarter of this year were previously announced, the region has experienced a resurgence in deadly insurgent activities since Janu
