"France launches manslaughter probe into TotalEnergies over 2021 Mozambique massacre" 15 March 2025.

French prosecutors in Nanterre west of Paris said Saturday they had opened a manslaughter investigation against energy giant TotalEnergies following a bloody 2021 jihadist attack in Mozambique.

Survivors and relatives of victims of the attack near a major gas field in northern Mozambique launched legal action against the oil and gas giant in October 2023, accusing it of failing to protect its subcontractors.

Based on that complaint, prosecutors launched a preliminary inquiry in May of 2024.

The energy giant reiterated its denial of any wrongdoing in a statement issued later on Saturday. 

"TotalEnergies has been informed of the opening of a judicial investigation into the Mozambique terrorist attacks of March 2021," the energy giant said.

"The Company categorically rejects these accusations."

Repeating comments it had made at the time of the original complaint, TotalEnergies said teams from the Mozambique LNG project had provided emergency assistance and evacuated more than 2,500 people.

The investigation will determine whether there are grounds to take TotalEnergies to court...

Total is also accused of refusing to provide fuel to a South African security company that organised helicopter rescues from a besieged hotel during the attack....

TotalEnergies is hoping to restart the long-delayed LNG project, and this week the US Export-Import Bank approved a $4.7 billion loan for the company.

Several NGOs issued a joint statement on Friday calling on European and Asian financiers "to refuse to follow this toxic and irresponsible lead and to oppose the restart of the project, a climate bomb associated with numerous allegations of human rights violations".