Mozambique: Over 26,000 displaced last week in Cabo Delgado – IOM

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Mozambique: Over 26,000 displaced last week in Cabo Delgado – IOM

1:08 CAT | 29 Jul 2025

Photo: Lusa

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimated on Tuesday (29-07) that more than 26,000 people had fled villages in three regions of Cabo Delgado in the last week due to new incursions by armed groups in northern Mozambique.

According to the report from that United Nations agency, ” escalating attacks and heightened fear of violence by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) in Muidumbe, Ancuabe and Chiure districts led to the displacement of approximately 26,870individuals (6,267 families) as of 26 July 2025″.

According to the IOM, the fleeing populations are from the districts of Muidumbe, Ancuabe, and Chiúre, the latter being the most severely affected, with a total of 23,204 displaced people.

“This figure includes 1,993 individuals (418 families) who fled Magaia and Chitunda villages between 23 and 26 July, 1,673 individuals (374 families) who fled Nanduli Village in Ancuabe district between 23 and 26 July and 23,204 individuals (5,475 families) who fled Nantavo in Chiure Velho (including neighboring villages) in Chiure district between 24 and 26 July,” the document states.

The UN agency say that sources in the area report that food is the most urgent humanitarian need, followed by shelter and essential non-food items.

According to the IOM, between Wednesday and Thursday alone, armed groups entered the village of Nanduli, in the Ancuabe district, “firing intermittently, triggering the displacement of 1,673 individuals (374 families) to Chiote and Ancuabe, in the district headquarters”.

“IOM (…) continues to monitor displacement dynamics in real time to support humanitarian planning and evidence-based response efforts throughout northern Mozambique,” it states.

In 2024 alone, at least 349 people died in attacks by Islamic extremist groups in Cabo Delgado province, a 36% increase over the previous year, according to data recently released by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution of the U.S. Department of Defense that analyses conflicts in Africa.

In addition to Cabo Delgado, the scene of these attacks and terrorist activity since 2017, the neighbouring province of Niassa was also the scene of an attack by members of these groups, who beheaded two park rangers in April.

Source: Lusa