Nearly 100,000 displaced as violence spreads across northern Mozambique

The UN refugee agency has warned that escalating attacks in northern Mozambique have forced nearly 100,000 people to flee in the past two weeks, as violence spreads into previously safe districts. UNHCR representative in Mozambique, Xavier Creach, told reporters in Geneva that villagers described armed groups storming communities at night, burning homes, attacking civilians, and forcing families to flee with nothing.

“The rapid spread of violence into previously unaffected areas is overwhelming humanitarian response efforts,” Creach said. Many families have now been displaced for the second or third time this year, often separated during chaotic escapes.

Since the conflict began in Cabo Delgado province in 2017, more than 1.3 million people have been uprooted. Creach noted a “dangerous shift” in 2025, with attacks now spreading into Nampula province. Civilians arriving at makeshift sites are often without documentation and have no access to essential services.

Women and girls face heightened risks, particularly during the global 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. Children are arriving “exhausted, traumatized, and weakened after days of walking,” many unaccompanied or separated from their families.

The UNHCR stressed that the scale of humanitarian needs continues to exceed available capacity, raising urgent concerns for the most vulnerable.

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