Militants wielding knives and machetes killed five people in a Mozambique region that has been rocked by attacks blamed on Takfiri extremists, police said Thursday.

"There was one more attack (by) the same group that has been attacking the neighboring villages, (it) attacked a village on Wednesday around 9:00 pm and killed five and destroyed houses and left running," a police source told.

"The strategy of the group is to attack different villages over several days, confusing the strategic response of government forces," added the police source.

The attackers targeted Namaluco village in the Quissanga district of Cabo Delgado.

Police reinforcements had been deployed to the area to step up security but attacks have continued unabated.

Mozambique last month passed an anti-terrorism law that punishes terror activity with prison sentences of more than 40 years.