Over 15,000 Mozambicans flee new wave of attacks

More than 15,000 people have already fled a new wave of attacks in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The renewed attacks began about a week ago in the south of the province, which was considered a safe area.

Conflict in the area started in 2017. Since then, more than 4,000 people have been killed and 800,000 forced from their homes.

The fear of more attacks by jihadist groups has triggered the movement of the thousands of people, an IOM report indicates.

Many of them are children and there are at least 125 pregnant women among the terrified population – some of whom are fleeing for the second time, now abandoning the places where they were starting to live again.

The new attacks are in areas around 100km (62 miles) from Pemba that have been a refuge for populations displaced in recent years.

The IOM says that people should only “voluntarily” return to the areas where they fled, contradicting a push by the authorities for the people to return.

Source: BBC