Politics Rising violence in Mozambique: 100,000 new displaced persons
In northern Mozambique, almost 100,000 people have fled their homes in the past two weeks due to increasing attacks on villages. This was reported by Xavier Creach, the representative of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in the south-east African country.
02.12.2025, 15:27
SDA
Since 2017, northern Mozambique has been suffering from attacks by Islamist groups, particularly in the province of Cabo Delgado. Poverty, political neglect and tensions in the region have contributed to the rise of Islamist groups. The conflict is exacerbated by large gas projects on the ground. The people are also suffering from natural disasters and outbreaks of disease. Stabilization has not yet been successful despite foreign military aid.
This year, the security situation has once again deteriorated significantly. Attacks have spread from Cabo Delgado to the neighboring province of Nampula. According to UN estimates, at least 300,000 people have been displaced since July and more than 1.3 million since 2017.
Burning houses and beheadings
Refugees reported multiple night-time attacks by armed groups and houses being burned down, Creach said in a video broadcast from Eráti. "Many civilians have been killed, some have even been beheaded."
Humanitarian aid workers and the municipalities taking in refugees are overburdened, said the UN representative. Sexual violence is occurring in the overcrowded shelters. In addition, aid workers are confronted with many children who have been separated from their parents while fleeing.
