The non-governmental organization Refugees International warned on Wednesday, October 1, that Mozambique “desperately needs aid” for the thousands of people displaced by the new wave of “cruel” extremist violence in Cabo Delgado, which has affected more than 20,000 people in recent days.
“The recent surge in insurgent attacks on villages and towns in Cabo Delgado has led to a rapidly growing humanitarian and displacement crisis, with cuts in international aid undermining the humanitarian response,” said Mark Wood, representing the NGO.
By the end of July, 57,000 people had fled their homes, according to Refugees International. In addition, another 20,000 people have escaped newly attacked areas, half of them children. The organization added that “the attacks have been especially cruel and unpredictable, marked by abductions, killings, and sexual assaults.”
“Humanitarian actors are sounding the alarm that massive cuts in external assistance are worsening the humanitarian and security situation,” the NGO stressed, recalling that U.S. support fell from $821 million (51.9 billion meticais) in 2024 to $243 million (15.4 billion meticais) in 2025, with HIV/AIDS programs, emergency response, and health among the sectors losing the most funding.
“These cuts are part of a broader picture in which aid groups are reducing or completely shutting down their operations due to a lack of funding. Some are working with tight budgets while others have had to suspend activities in certain areas because of deteriorating security conditions,” Refugees International further noted. Without an immediate increase in humanitarian assistance and international attention, “Mozambican civilians will face growing devastation as the fighters attacking them are emboldened to expand their forces,” the organization added.
In 2024 alone, at least 349 people were killed in attacks in northern Mozambique, most claimed by the extremist group Islamic State—an increase of 36% compared to the previous year, according to research by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), an academic institution linked to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Source: Lusa
