Maputo — Over 11, 000 households have taken refuge, over the last week, in the capital of Chiúre district, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, as a result of new incursions by armed groups, according to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In a statement, the organization says that between July 24 and 30, Chiúre experienced a significant influx of displaced households, "forced to abandon their homes due to the growing insecurity caused by non-state armed groups, particularly affecting the administrative post of Chiúre Velho.'
The new incursions have caused displacements in at least 11 neighborhoods, including Chiúre Velho Sede, Miconi, and Magaia.
"As of July 30, official records indicate that 11,597 households (49,093 individuals) were registered as new arrivals in Chiúre Sede. 57 per cent of the refugees are children. Of the affected households, 6,220 households (25,953 individuals) are being housed at the Miconi Transit Center, 5,374 households (23,127 individuals) at the Namissir Center, and three households (13 individuals) in the 30 Junho Neighborhood', reads the document.
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According to the organization, through assessments conducted in partnership with the District Planning and Infrastructure Service, and the Displacement Tracking Matrix, it was found that there are urgent humanitarian needs in the affected regions, "including food assistance, non-food items, water supplies, dignity and hygiene kits, and emergency shelter.'
"In the Namissir center, a large number of families are currently sleeping under trees, significantly increasing protection risks. Many families are also resorting to staying overnight in host communities, further straining already limited local resources', reads the report.
However, distributions of hygiene, dignity, and food kits have now been carried out, targeting families who arrived in Chiúre between Friday and Sunday at the two transit centers.
According to a study released in February by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), at least 349 people died in attacks by Islamist extremist groups in northern Mozambique in 2024, a 36 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) points out that the violence in Cabo Delgado is about to reach a record high as over 500 attacks carried out by terrorists were recorded by the end of August this year.
