TotalEnergies War Crimes Complaint Filed Over Mozambique LNG Project
By: Abudu Olalekan
ECCHR files criminal complaint against TotalEnergies for alleged complicity in war crimes, torture, and enforced disappearances in Mozambique. Discover the shocking details.
It starts with a massacre. A remote gas site. Civilians in metal containers. And a multinational giant now facing some of the most serious allegations in modern corporate history.
On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, TotalEnergies was hit with a criminal complaint in France for its alleged complicity in war crimes, torture, and enforced disappearances in Mozambique. The European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) filed the complaint with France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor (PNAT)—an office not only tasked with terrorism cases but also those involving international crimes. Yes, the accusations are that serious.
The story goes back to 2021. You may remember—Mozambique was in chaos. Palma, a northern town, was overtaken by violence as armed groups, notably Al-Shabab, attacked. Amid the conflict, TotalEnergies maintained its massive liquified natural gas project, “Mozambique LNG.”
What went wrong? According to ECCHR and documents uncovered by several investigations, a Joint Task Force—a unit of the Mozambican armed forces created in 2020 specifically to protect Total’s gas site—had allegedly detained, tortured, and even executed civilians between July and September 2021. The twist? The task force was being fed, housed, and equipped directly by TotalEnergies.
The most harrowing part of the complaint centers on what’s now known as the “container massacre.” These weren’t just violent raids happening away from corporate eyes. No. Civilians fleeing violence were reportedly rounded up right at the entrance of Total’s site. Held in metal shipping containers in the sweltering heat. Many allegedly tortured. Some disappeared. A few found dead. And Total? Documents suggest it knew. And kept going.
Who exposed it? First came Politico, then Le Monde and SourceMaterial, all bringing chilling details to light. Internal documents from TotalEnergies’ own security contractor revealed the company had been aware of mounting human rights violations from as early as May 2020, well before the container massacre happened. That’s more than a year.
Here’s what makes it worse—despite knowing the risks, TotalEnergies didn’t cut ties with the force. In fact, it offered soldier bonuses (yes, bonuses), food, and housing. The company tried to hedge by saying soldiers wouldn’t get perks if they committed abuses. But let’s face it, in a war zone thick with corruption and impunity, that gesture seems paper thin.
According to Clara Gonzales from ECCHR, multinational companies like TotalEnergies don’t get to play innocent just because they’re not pulling the trigger themselves. “They aren’t neutral,” she said. “If they provide resources knowing what’s happening, they are part of it.”
Reactions? Explosive, as expected.
Friends of the Earth France called the allegations a “red line” moment. They, along with partners in Mozambique and Europe, urged financial backers—including Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, and even the UK and Dutch governments—to withdraw support. And fast.
Lorette Philippot from Friends of the Earth France says banks “didn’t sign blank cheques”—yet here we are, billions deep in a crisis. Over 30 public and private banks financially backed the project in 2020. Back then, it did look like a major economic breakthrough. Today? It’s a human rights time bomb.
Let’s not forget, this isn’t the first complaint against TotalEnergies for its involvement in the Mozambique project. Back in 2023, survivors of the Palma attacks and their families had already filed a separate case, accusing the company of abandoning subcontractors who became targets. That case is still under preliminary investigation in France.
The bigger question is—will this finally lead to consequences?
France has set a precedent. Remember the Lafarge case? A French corporation indicted for financing terrorism and complicity in crimes against humanity connected to ISIS in Syria. It opened a new chapter in corporate accountability. Could Total be next?
Meanwhile, Sweden’s courts are in session too, trying former Lundin Oil execs for crimes tied to South Sudan’s bloody past. So yes, boardroom decisions can end up in courtrooms. The stakes are global.
Then there’s the climate angle. This gas project, if completed, threatens to unleash 4.5 billion tons of CO₂. A judgment not just against people, but planet.
At its heart, this story isn’t about oil. Or even war. It’s about what happens when a company chooses profit over people, then tries to walk away clean.
So what now? French prosecutors will decide whether to mount a full investigation. And as calls grow louder, eyes are on the court, not the field.
