Mozambique is confronting a fresh surge of violence as more than 100,000 people, the majority of them children, have fled a series of intensified attacks by insurgent groups over the past two weeks. The sudden escalation has triggered one of the largest waves of internal displacement the country has seen in recent years.
UN agency UNICEF reports that the most significant population movements occurred in the Erati and Memba districts of Nampula Province. According to the agency, two-thirds of those forced to flee are children, heightening concerns over protection, access to shelter and the risk of family separation.
Security analysts note that insurgent activity in northern Mozambique has risen sharply throughout the year, but the latest violence marks a troubling shift. Unlike previous sporadic assaults, attacks in several areas have persisted for extended periods, with some districts experiencing continuous insecurity for weeks.
UNICEF also confirmed that armed groups staged attacks in Cabo Delgado’s Palma District for the first time in four years, signalling a possible expansion of operational zones and further destabilisation.
Humanitarian actors warn that the rapid influx of internally displaced people is overwhelming existing support systems. Food supplies, health kits and emergency shelters are being depleted at alarming speed, while funding gaps are preventing agencies from scaling up essential services.
Since 2017, more than 1.3 million Mozambicans have been uprooted by violence linked to non-state armed groups. Aid organizations say immediate assistance is needed to prevent further deterioration, particularly among vulnerable families now stranded without adequate food, water or medical care.
Officials caution that if attacks continue at the current pace, Mozambique could witness yet another major humanitarian emergency in a region already stretched by years of conflict.
