In recent weeks, 107,000 people have been displaced from their homes, raising the total displacement over the last four months to 330,000, as reported by the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. “They barely had time to recover before they had to leave again, due to the attacks or fear of attacks,” stated Paola Emerson, head of the OCHA office in Mozambique. The long-time humanitarian elaborated that the violence has caused families to be uprooted multiple times over the weeks of assaults. This pattern contrasts with the previous hit-and-run tactics seen since the violence began in northern Cabo Delgado province in 2017.
According to UN data, more than 600,000 people have now been displaced due to conflict and climate shocks, with nearly 90% of those fleeing having already done so earlier this year.
Hit by Cyclones
Emerson highlighted that the recent wave of violence has hit communities hard, coming after three cyclones in 2025. “A large majority are children, 67 percent,” she noted, expressing concern over protection issues, gender-based violence, and unaccompanied or separated children. Most displaced families find shelter in overcrowded host communities, open spaces, and damaged schools, disrupting exams in several districts. Aid distribution is insufficient, with only about 40% receiving “dismal” food aid amid “significant stock shortages.” Emerson cautioned that the lack of support is pushing families to unsafe areas “with very little information about the situation stabilizing.”
Beheadings among Other Horrors
The United Nations has issued multiple alerts this week. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported Tuesday that civilians described nighttime attacks, setting homes on fire, and summary beheadings by armed groups in previously unaffected neighborhoods. They stressed severe resource shortages and deemed the response “insufficient.” On Friday, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed concern over “staggering” displacement levels and serious violations like kidnappings and recruitment. The agency warned that essential services—health, education, water, and protection—are “strained under the weight of need” just as cyclone season approaches. Humanitarian partners urge immediate funding to prevent further deterioration, warning that without swift support, the crisis will deepen, and families may face further displacement within weeks.
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