A fresh wave of jihadist violence has struck northern Mozambique, killing several Christians, emptying entire communities, and prompting church leaders to warn that the humanitarian crisis is worsening.
Bishop Alberto Vera of Nacala told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that at least four Christians were killed in a series of attacks in Nampula province beginning on 10 November. One victim was reportedly beheaded. Armed militants swept through rural districts, destroying homes and driving families into nearby forests.
“It was a week of terror and much suffering,” Bishop Vera said. “Terror is in the whole district of Memba and also in the north and east of Eráti. Memba is now a deserted city.”
Local officials report that the most intense assaults took place around Mazula from 14 to 17 November, with further attacks in Chipene and Baixo Pinda. Early assessments from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) describe looted homes, burned buildings, and civilians who were killed, injured, or taken captive.
An estimated 128,000 people fled within a single week from villages along the Memba-Cabo Delgado border, many arriving at crowded displacement sites in Metuge and nearby towns, according to UN figures.
The attacks represent the latest escalation in an insurgency that has devastated northern Mozambique since 2017. More than 6,000 people have been killed and over a million uprooted in the eight-year conflict, much of it driven by militants linked to Islamic State.
While the most recent violence occurred in Nampula, Cabo Delgado remains the epicentre of the long-running crisis, with Christian-majority communities particularly vulnerable. Last month, coordinated attacks in Chiúre District left at least 20 Christians dead, destroyed 1,300 homes, and displaced nearly 2,000 people. Two churches were also burned down.
Residents say the situation deteriorated after Mozambique’s Defence and Security Forces briefly engaged the militants but later withdrew, leaving communities exposed.
Church leaders warn that extremist groups are continuing to abduct women and children, a tactic that has become common throughout the conflict. They also express frustration over the limited international attention, while rights groups say authorities have blocked photography and curtailed media access to affected areas, leaving many incidents undocumented.
Open Doors, which ranks Mozambique 37th on its 2025 World Watch List, reports that Christians remain a key target. More than 100 churches have been attacked or forced to close this year, and at least 56 Christians have been killed for their faith.
Appealing for solidarity, Bishop Vera urged the global Church to pray for victims and support displaced families. “Pray a lot for us, because this is an incomprehensible, intolerable reality,” he told ACN News. “We ask God to help us and grant us peace. We also ask the Mozambican government for the means to fight terrorists not only militarily, but also with dialogue and with international means.”
Adapted from Christian Today UK.
