Islamist insurgents have seized control of a town in Mozambique.

The overnight attack on Mocimboa da Praia marks another escalation in a conflict that has spread across the north of the country.

A police spokesman said efforts to recapture the town were now underway.

The attack began several hours before dawn. The insurgents appeared to be well armed – reportedly even using artillery, and quickly overrunning the town.

Panicked residents said the fighters had blocked all exit routes and had seized control of a local military base.

It is three years since a shadowy Islamist insurgency began in northern Mozambique. Since then hundreds of civilians have been killed and thousands forced to flee from isolated villages.

This attack on a major provincial town appears to mark a significant escalation in the conflict.

In recent months Mozambique’s army has struggled to contain the violence.

The insurgents have exploited local grievances in an impoverished region that is poised to benefit from vast offshore gas fields.