UNHCR assists thousands fleeing armed group violence in northern Mozambique
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has voiced deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the restive Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique following a recent surge in violence and attacks by armed groups.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has voiced deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the restive Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique following a recent surge in violence and attacks by armed groups.
More than 70,000 people have fled their homes for southern districts since the start of the latest outbreak at the beginning of February, the agency said on Friday.
In one district alone, Chiure, over 56,000 people have been affected while more than 33,000 have crossed into neighbouring Nampula province.
The majority of the displaced are women, many of them pregnant, as well as people with disabilities and the elderly. More than half are children.
Homes and schools destroyed
UNHCR said the violence has been marked by extensive destruction of residential areas, schools, health centres and other religious and community facilities.
“This rampant destruction has further exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Mozambique, where over 709,000 people remain internally displaced due to violence perpetrated by non-State armed groups and the impact of the climate crisis,” the agency said.
Northern Mozambique has been plagued by insecurity since 2017, when jihadist militants began carrying out deadly attacks on civilians. Troops from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a 16-member regional bloc, have been assisting the army since July 2021.
The latest unrest is occurring as a French oil company aims to re-start a long delayed $20 billion liquified natural gas project in Cabo Delgado, according to media reports.
Supporting displaced families
Affected families have sought refuge in displacement sites and host communities in Nampula province, where some 8,000 refugees and asylum-seekers are also being hosted in the Maratane refugee camp.
UNHCR and partners are providing relief items to the new arrivals, including blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, jerrycans, buckets, solar lamps, kitchen sets and plastic sheets.
They will screen and register people with specific needs for support and assistance. Plans are also underway for additional support in areas such as water and sanitation, general protection, shelter, food security, health and nutrition, however, lack of funding is hampering response.
UNHCR is seeking $49 million for its operations in Mozambique this year.
The agency, which has been in the country since the 1980s, underlined its commitment to continue to work closely with local authorities, humanitarian partners and host communities to address the urgent needs of displaced people in Cabo Delgado.
© UN News (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: UN News
Where next?
Browse related news topics:
Read the latest news stories:
- Chronicle of a Catastrophe Foretold Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- Surge in child migrants crossing the dangerous Darién Gap: UNICEF Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- World News in Brief: Food aid reaches Haitians, UN chief condemns attack on Slovakian leader, Russian strikes drive influx of evacuees in Ukraine Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- UN forum in Bahrain endorses declaration on entrepreneurship and innovation for the SDGs Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- ‘Time is running out’ to address crisis in Sudan Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- UN rights chief, independent experts denounce Georgia’s new ‘foreign agents’ law Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- Gaza: 600,000 displaced from Rafah Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- Ocean Action on Global Agenda as Negotiations to Save Biodiversity Deepen Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- Educating the Mind Without Educating the Heart is No Education at All Tuesday, May 14, 2024
- SBSTTA and SBIBiodiversity Meetings Crucial for the Global South Begin Tuesday, May 14, 2024