Nearly 72,000 people fled Memba district, in Nampula province, following armed attacks recorded between 10 and 17 November, according to a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) released this Tuesday (25), as reported by Lusa.
The document, based on data from humanitarian and state organisations monitoring the conflict in northern Mozambique, confirms the displacement of 14,172 families, totalling 71,983 people, between 16 and 23 November, heading to Eráti district in the same province.
Most displaced people are currently concentrated in the administrative post headquarters of Alua (10,169 families, 49,924 people), in Miliva (1,634 families, 8,895 people) and in Alua Velha Primary School (2,369 families, 13,164 people).
According to the IOM, children account for 67% of the displaced population. The accommodation centres are severely overcrowded, with many families living in classrooms, makeshift tents or in the open, facing direct exposure to rain, lack of adequate sanitation, limited access to clean water and a high risk of disease.
The organisation warns of heightened vulnerabilities among women, girls, the elderly and people with disabilities, who are particularly exposed to risks of gender-based violence, lack of privacy and difficulty accessing essential services.
Among the displaced, unaccompanied or separated children have been identified, and there are also reports of loss of civil documents and high levels of psychological distress, especially among those who walked for several days to escape the attacks.
Despite the ongoing emergency response by the Government and its partners, the IOM stresses that available resources are insufficient and that the number of displaced people exceeds the capacity of existing centres. The organisation calls for a coordinated expansion of humanitarian assistance, with priority given to food, shelter, health, protection and basic sanitation.
The violence in Memba has so far resulted in the death of at least five people, according to statements by the governor of Nampula, Eduardo Abdula, who admits the possibility of more victims in areas still inaccessible.
Instability has also led to the interruption of essential public projects in the district, including the construction of a health centre and a water supply system. Elements linked to the extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for two of the attacks that took place in November, stating through their propaganda channels that they had killed five Christians, burned a church and set homes on fire in different villages.
This latest episode of violence in Nampula forms part of a broader context of insecurity in northern Mozambique, which began in 2017 in Cabo Delgado province and continues to cause mass displacement, destruction of infrastructure and severe humanitarian consequences for affected populations.
