More than 107,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in northern Mozambique over the past two weeks due to escalating attacks by insurgent groups, the United Nations reported Friday, highlighting growing humanitarian concerns as food and medical supplies run critically low.
The surge in violence comes amid a widening conflict that has spread beyond the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province into neighboring Nampula and Niassa provinces, areas previously considered relatively safe. According to the UN, the ongoing conflict has displaced over 1.3 million people since 2017, with the latest wave marking one of the most severe spikes in recent months.
Speaking via video link from Maputo, Paola Emerson, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Mozambique, explained the unusual intensity of the attacks. “People flee because their villages are attacked and burned and destroyed, and others flee in surrounding villages for fear of attacks,” Emerson said. She noted that, unlike previous insurgent operations, which often involved quick hit-and-run raids, the current wave in Nampula has persisted for several weeks, signaling a more entrenched threat.
Over the last four months, a total of 330,000 people have been displaced across northern Mozambique, according to OCHA. Emerson warned that the pattern of prolonged attacks could complicate relief efforts, as humanitarian agencies struggle to reach affected communities in areas where insurgents are active.
The renewed violence has also included assaults in Palma District of Cabo Delgado, where civilians had not experienced major attacks since 2021, according to a report by UNICEF. The agency cited killings of civilians, attacks on security forces, and the destruction of homes and local infrastructure, contributing to a climate of fear and uncertainty.
Humanitarian response, while ongoing, remains insufficient to meet the scale of the crisis. Emerson said that only about 40% of displaced people have received food assistance for the next two weeks, while essential health kits and supplies are rapidly depleting. “This is woefully inadequate,” she said, noting that in some cases, affected families are returning to unsafe areas simply because assistance in displacement sites is lacking.
Aid agencies face a host of challenges, including security risks, difficult terrain, and logistical constraints. The ongoing insurgency, often linked to Islamist extremist groups, has targeted both civilians and humanitarian workers, further complicating efforts to deliver food, clean water, and medical services.
Experts warn that the conflict in Mozambique’s north is not just a local crisis but a regional concern. Cabo Delgado’s natural gas reserves, vital for the country’s economy, have made the region a target for both insurgents and criminal networks, while the displacement of thousands threatens to strain social services and host communities in neighboring provinces.
OCHA and UNICEF have called on international partners and donor countries to urgently increase funding for Mozambique’s humanitarian response. “Without accelerated support, we risk not only deepening human suffering but also seeing a destabilizing effect on surrounding regions,” Emerson said.
Local authorities and international agencies are coordinating emergency shelters and aid distributions, but the pace of displacement is outstripping available resources. As families flee with few possessions, reports indicate growing food insecurity, malnutrition among children, and limited access to healthcare, heightening the urgency for a sustained response.
The UN’s warnings come amid ongoing military efforts by Mozambican security forces, sometimes supported by regional forces, to contain insurgent activities. However, the complexity of the conflict, combined with the insurgents’ mobility and tactical unpredictability, suggests that further waves of displacement are likely unless both security and humanitarian measures are urgently scaled up.
Source:Africa Publicity
