The UN has announced that almost 60,000 people have fled terrorist attacks in Northern Mozambique in two weeks.
The international organization said in a statement on Tuesday that the escalating attacks, which began on July 20, have displaced approximately 57,034.
The attacks are conducted by a group affiliated with the Islamic State organization, which has been leading a violent insurgency in the Northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Conflict in the region is not new, and there has been fighting occurring since the insurgency began in 2017.
The influx of people in recent days has been the highest since February 2024, when 98,000 people had fled Chiure.
“People continue to arrive daily from conflict-affected areas, and humanitarian partners are preparing to assist up to 60,000 people in the coming days,” said Paola Emerson, the head of the Mozambique branch of the United Nations for the coordination of Humanitarian affairs.
“So far, 30,000 displaced people have received food, water, shelter, and essential items. However, the response has not been able to secure the resources necessary for the growing crisis.”
The funding for the UN response in Mozambique has also been struggling with the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Mozambique, only securing 19% needed.
This is due to the aid funding cuts that were put into place by the United States and other Western nations.
“Over one million people are at risk of losing access to food, water and shelter. Meeting the needs of the newly displaced will be increasingly difficult,” a representative for the OCHA stated.
The official numbers state that since the insurgency began, 6,100 people have been killed by the violence in the region, including 354 people this year.
This is a dark moment in the progression of the conflict in the African nation, and the fighting will likely get worse.
