In a distressing development reported by the UN on Sunday, a recent escalation in armed conflicts in northern Mozambique has triggered a large-scale displacement, with tens of thousands fleeing for safety. This intensifying crisis is putting additional strain on already scarce humanitarian resources and highlights serious concerns regarding international obligations to protect civilians.

Between July 20 and July 28, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documented the displacement of at least 46,667 individuals across the districts of Chiúre, Ancuabe, and Muidumbe in the Cabo Delgado province. Chiúre experienced the most severe impact, with over 42,000 displaced persons, more than half of whom are children. Since January, the total number of individuals displaced in Cabo Delgado has risen to over 95,000 due to ongoing insecurity.

Displaced families are seeking refuge in overcrowded conditions in areas like Bairro Micone and Bairro Namicir in Chiúre Sede. Those from Chiúre Velho, Ocua, and Mazeze face dire circumstances, living in makeshift shelters with limited access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, and medical services. The increasing number of separated and unaccompanied minors is a grim indicator of the violence’s toll on family structures and the heightened risk of exploitation and abuse faced by vulnerable groups.

In the Ancuabe district, the situation has rapidly worsened, with the number of displaced families nearly tripling in just a week. Here, villages like Nanduli have seen families fleeing to Chiote and Ancuabe Sede. Further violence in Muidumbe, where militants burned down homes and engaged in gunfire near Mungue, has pushed nearly 500 families to seek safety in temporary displacement sites. Challenges in accessing these areas remain significant due to ongoing security threats and logistical hurdles.

Mozambique, bound by international humanitarian laws including the Additional Protocol II of the Geneva Conventions, is obligated to prevent forced displacement and ensure the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Despite also being a signatory to the African Union’s Kampala Convention, there are significant gaps in the implementation of these legal frameworks, particularly in the context of the current crisis in Cabo Delgado.

Additionally, the humanitarian response efforts are severely underfunded. With only 19 percent of the required $352 million secured, critical aid services are being cut down, significantly reducing the number of people who can be assisted. As of July, this funding shortfall forced aid agencies to drastically reduce their target population from 1.1 million to just 317,000, leaving many in dire need without necessary support.

This escalating crisis underscores the urgent need for enhanced protection measures for displaced populations, particularly children and other vulnerable groups, and a stronger commitment from both the Mozambican government and international partners to fulfill their humanitarian and legal responsibilities.