More than 54 thousand people fled their homes in three weeks as a result of terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado

A new wave of terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique has displaced at least 54,415 people in three weeks, according to an assessment released this Saturday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to the intergovernmental agency’s latest regular bulletin, it refers to the displacement of people due to “attacks and fear of attacks by armed groups” between April 17 and May 5, especially in the districts of Ankuabe and Curé, but also in Erati, in the neighboring province Nampula, 13,131 families participated.

In the Curé region, south of Cabo Delgado, which has been the epicenter of the worst terrorist attacks in recent months, IOM recorded a total of 51,012 displaced people during this period, the majority of whom (49,798) were registered by the organization in the cities of Namissir and Mycone .

In Ankuabe district, IOM recorded 2,959 displaced persons who fled mostly to the district headquarters, while in Erati district there were a further 444 displaced persons.

Most of the displaced during this period left the administrative post of Curé Velho (40,316 people), mainly heading to the district headquarters, the village of Curé, which has received tens of thousands of people fleeing neighboring communities since February.

Of the total number of people displaced during this period, 59% (33,260) were children and 23% (12,276) were women, the IOM said, emphasizing that 99% of these people on the run need food, and 96% – in housing.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said on March 7 in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province, that it had received only 5% of the $400 million (€371 million) needed to respond to the displacement crisis caused by terrorist attacks and natural disasters in northern Mozambique .

“Unfortunately, it is underfunded,” Filippo Grandi admitted to reporters after visiting camps for displaced people fleeing the latest terrorist attacks, fueling calls for international support.

The head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that terrorist attacks in the province since 2017 have already displaced about 1.3 million people and that 780,000 people have remained outside their villages despite this. 600 thousand returned.

The latest wave of terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado alone displaced 100,000 people in February, particularly in Chiura, according to United Nations organizations.

The High Commissioner acknowledged that more high-profile conflicts elsewhere are driving the direction of funds for the Cabo Delgado support plan in 2024, which involves “joint efforts” with other agencies.

“Unfortunately, the situation in Mozambique may not be the most visible,” Grandi said.

“If we don’t have all the resources we need, unfortunately we will have to do less,” he added, although he suggested more resources would need to be mobilized to contain the humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique.

After several months of relative normalcy in the affected areas, Cabo Delgado has seen new movements and attacks by rebel groups since February, causing loss of life and destruction of homes and public buildings.