Cape Town, Jun. 15, (dpa/GNA) - Nearly 10,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since June due to a new wave of violence in Mozambique, Save the Children said on Tuesday.
Most are women and children, seeking to escape the conflict-ridden northern province of Cabo Delgado, where murders, rapes, kidnappings and other acts of violence have been taking place.
Ancuabe, a district so far largely spared, was the focus of the most recent attacks, Save the Children said. Many people who had previously been internally displaced had settled there and were living in temporary homes. Often, the conditions of their accommodation were “catastrophic,” without access to shelter, toilets, clothing and food.
Islamist rebels have been carrying out brutal attacks since 2017 in northern Mozambique, a region where the French energy company Total is involved in a liquefied gas project worth billions.
In March 2021, the port town of Palma was attacked by extremists. The terrorist militia Islamic State subsequently announced the capture of the city.
According to the UN refugee agency, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and many others were killed.
After a long period of calm, there have been violent attacks again in the crisis-hit region of the south-east African country in recent weeks.
President Filipe Nyusi had only declared in September that all districts in Cabo Delgado controlled by insurgents had been recaptured.
In July, the EU decided on a military mission in which soldiers from EU member states would train Mozambican armed forces. The soldiers doing the training are mainly provided by former colonial power Portugal.
GNA