Displacement Crisis in Cabo Delgado: Thousands Flee Insurgent Attacks

Recent insurgent attacks in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province have led to the displacement of over 46,000 people, with a significant portion being children. Despite the absence of reported fatalities, the violence, attributed to Islamic State-affiliated militants, continues to disrupt the region, impacting local communities and major gas projects.

Insurgent attacks in the northern Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique have forced over 46,000 people to flee their homes within just eight days, according to the United Nations migration agency.

The International Organisation for Migration reported that children account for nearly 60 percent of those displaced. Although there are no reports of fatalities, the recent wave of violence between July 20 and July 28 has struck three districts within Cabo Delgado, prompting this surge in displacement.

Mozambique has been battling an insurgency by Islamic State-linked militants for at least eight years, with recent attacks resulting in heightened displacement concerns. The violence, exacerbated by environmental challenges, has led to the displacement of over 1 million people. Efforts to counteract the insurgency have involved the deployment of Rwandan soldiers, while humanitarian groups like Doctors Without Borders are providing emergency aid to those now residing in camps.

(With inputs from agencies.)