Suspected Islamist militants have beheaded eight people in Mozambique’s province of Cabo Delgado - the latest of such killings.

Two attacks are reported to have taken place over the weekend.

Private paper O Pais says the village of Macanga in Palma disctrict was raided on Saturday. An unspecified number of houses were also burnt down, it says.

According to Mediafax, the second incident happened on Sunday in the village of Mbau in Mocimboa district.

Three of the four victims, a farmer and two fishermen, were attacked by the raiders on the banks of the Messalo River.

The farmer was planting maize when they struck. The two fishermen were preparing hooks for their lines.

An Islamist militant group has carried out sporadic attacks in the region in the last year.

It is believed to be making millions of dollars from selling timber and rubies.

Known locally as al-Shabab, the group was formed in 2015 as a religious organisation and has no known links to the Somali jihadist group of the same name.