Mozambique: Conflict and violence in Cabo Delgado affecting civilians - Flash Update #1, As of 29 September 2025 [EN/PT]

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Escalating conflict and violence affecting civilians in Ancuabe, Balama, Chiúre, Macomia, Mocímboa da Praia, Montepuez, Muidumbe, and Nangade and Memba in Nampula province.
• Civilian violence is on track to reach a record high in 2025, with 519 attacks reported by the end of August, compared to 448 in 2022.
• As of 24 September, over 20,000 people were displaced, including 10,000 children. The numbers of people affected could be much higher, as many remain in their communities fleeing to the bush and returning home as soon as security permits, and also many displaced people are likely to be with host communities.
• Partners are providing assistance to displaced populations in Mueda, Muidumbe, Ancuabe, Balama, and Montepuez through the NGO-led Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) but many in other districts remain without support; more funding that is flexible is needed.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Between 26 August and 24 September, Cabo Delgado experienced a marked surge in violence, with non-State armed groups (NSAGs) carrying out repeated attacks alongside military operations that reportedly affected civilians. Districts that were impacted include Ancuabe, Balama, Chiúre, Macomia, Mocímboa da Praia, Montepuez, Muidumbe, and Nangade and Memba in Nampula province. The attacks involved civilian abductions, the kidnapping of a humanitarian worker (later released), looting, killings, burning of homes, and ransom demands and civilians caught in military operations, including from aerial bombardments. Civilian violence is on track to reach a record high in 2025, with 519 attacks reported by the end of August, compared to 448 in 2022. Attacks include use of IEDs and military operations. The majority of the incidents are NSAG attacks on civilians. Preliminary IOM-DTM reports indicate that around 20,181 people, including more than 10,000 children, have been displaced across Cabo Delgado. This figure may be higher, as additional displacements are not yet recorded. On 26 September, attacks in Memba (Nampula) resulted in multiple abductions and the burning of homes. Further attacks on 28 September in Memba destroyed homes and public infrastructure, including a school and health centre in Pavala community. In Niassa, the IS-Mozambique, via a media outlet linked to Islamic State claimed responsibility for the 22 September abduction of a couple in Marrupa district; the woman was later released.

In addition to people displaced, there are also affected people who remain in their communities, many of whom are returnees who had been displaced before and had returned to their home areas as humanitarian aid provision dropped significantly in the areas of displacement, primarily in southern Cabo Delgado, starting in 2023. Humanitarian partners are monitoring the situation in collaboration with INDG, SDPI and partners to provide initial assistance despite the limited resources due to the global funding constraints. Plans are also underway to deploy assessment teams in Nangade, Muidumbe, Macomia.

In the past weeks, conflict and insecurity have affected humanitarian operations, resulting in the temporary suspension of aid operations in parts of the province. UNHAS flights were to Macomia were suspended for six days. Humanitarian partners continue to access Macomia, Mocimboa da Praia, Quissanga and Mueda by road, with movements facilitated through OCHA’s civil-military coordination humanitarian notification system with FADM, PRM and international forces who are patrolling the N380 road. The humanitarian notification system sustains UN and NGO operations.

Child protection actors report increasing concerns of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) following NSAG attacks and displacement, with family tracing and reunification (FTR) impacted as partners capacity has been reducing with limited funding available. Many displaced children remain without civil documentation, particularly birth registration, which further limits their access to services and exposes them to heightened risks. The ongoing violence and repeated displacement have also led to deteriorating mental health and psychosocial wellbeing among children and caregivers, with escalating needs for structured MHPSS support. Reports from field-level actors indicate grave violations, including incidents of killing and maiming of children linked to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), alongside rising risks of child marriage in displacement contexts. These challenges are compounded by severe funding shortages, with some child protection partners only able to sustain operations for a few weeks.

GBV partners have reduced their operational presence with some partners suspending GBV lifesaving assistance in some of the districts such as Muidumbe and Mocimboa da Praia. Reduced humanitarian assistance and presence will increase risks for women and girls. Recent attacks in communities will amplify the already dire physical, medical, mental and social needs of women and girls in affected districts. In a safety audit conducted by UN Women and partners, intimate partner violence was already high prior to the recent conflict escalation, sexual violence and negative coping mechanisms such as survival sex and child marriage were also noted.

While efforts are being made to provide lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable people in the affected areas, humanitarian partners are already overstretched due to the geographical spread of the attacks and displacements, funding which also negatively impacts partners’ capacity. The emergency response needs to be balanced with maintaining a stock of emergency supplies ahead of the upcoming rainy and cyclone season in November.

A total of US$1 million under the Mozambique Humanitarian Fund—$580,000 for Quissanga and $420,000 for Macomia—was allocated to nine local NGOs to address humanitarian needs in these districts.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Priority Needs

IOM-DTM reports that immediate needs include food, shelter, NFIs and protection services.

GBV case management, clinical management of rape, psychosocial support and referral to other services are priorities for women and girls, including survivors of gender-based violence including conflict related sexual violence. The GBV AOR endorses an integrated approach to service provision, through mobile and temporary safe spaces, health brigades to support women and girls' engagement, access to clinical care for sexual violence disclosures, and support to individual and group psychosocial support. Women and girls of reproductive age will require dignity kits to reduce risks associated with the absence of personal effects and proper menstrual hygiene and menstrual management.

Response

In addition to the monthly distributions, which have reached 173,375 people in Macomia, Quissanga and Nangade over the past few weeks, WFP completed on 29 of September a general food distribution in Nangade for communities not covered under vulnerability-based targeting, reaching 19,670 people. WFP is also preparing to provide assistance in Mueda and Nangade to respond to the needs of newly displaced populations.

So far, NRC RRM has provided multi-purpose cash assistance to 11,000 individuals. RRM has completed conducting rapid needs assessments in Mueda, Nangade, and Montepuez districts area. In addition, Ayuda en Action is conducting protection activities, including mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and gender based violence (GBV). Save the Children has been implementing Child Protection in Emergencies, MHPSS and Education in Emergency activities in Nangade, and will assess the possibility of distributing student kits, including dignity kits and reintegration kits to girls and unaccompanied and separated children under case management. The RRM partner, AeA, will support WASH assessment in the IDP locations in Mueda.

In Balama district, SI and SCI RRM conducted a rapid needs assessment and identified 1,800 displaced families, with SCI committing to support half of the caseload with cash voucher assistance subject to clearance from district authorities. At least 400 IDP families in Ancuabe will also be provided by SCI and SI with in-kind support, in addition to ongoing protection activities.

Protection actors are providing a broad range of services across reception areas to meet urgent needs: NRC is supporting civil-documentation activities to restore access to rights and services; Helpcode established protection desks and outreach activities on PSEA and available protection services; GCR is delivering MHPSS in Matambalale with plans to expand to other sites. UNHCR has mobilized its network of Protection Focal Points across the province to ensure timely information-sharing that supports operational decision-making and coordination and is working with partners to mobilize the response and provide targeted support for persons with disabilities, survivors of GBV, and those in need civil documentation.

Through existing partnerships and reprogramming, UNICEF, FDC, and Caritas are delivering case management services, including family tracing and reunification for unaccompanied and separated children, as well as community-level interventions to prevent and respond to child marriage. MHPSS support is being provided to both children and caregivers through individual and group interventions. Mobile brigades are being deployed to extend coverage and reach children in hard-to-access locations. Currently, child protection in emergencies (CPiE) services remain active in Mueda, Macomia, Balama, Nangade, Mocímboa da Praia, and Ancuabe, where partners continue to address urgent protection needs despite significant access and resource constraints.

The provision of GBV risk mitigation messages, GBV case management and safe space programing by UNFPA, Muleide, FDC, GCR InMuidumbe, Montepuez, Mocimboa da Praia will be tailored to meet the needs of displaced communities. GBV AOR will prioritise assistance in preferred areas of displacement by communities.