“In Mozambique, serious violations of children’s rights in Cabo Delgado were four times higher in the first six months of 2024 compared to the whole of 2023. We must act now,” says a note from Unicef, Lusa saw on Monday.
At issue is the armed insurgency in that northern province since 2017, with armed attacks claimed by movements associated with the fundamentalist group Islamic State.
The United Nations Children’s Fund also said that the year 2024 was “devastating” for children in conflict, “with the violation of their rights and the making of excuses”, adding that “this has to stop”.
In February 2024, a new wave of attacks in Cabo Delgado caused the displacement of 43,725 children, corresponding to 61% of those displaced, and caused the closure of 129 schools.
The last major terrorist attack in Cabo Delgado took place on 10 and 11 May, in the district headquarters of Macomia, with around a hundred rebels sacking the town, causing several deaths and heavy fighting with the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces and Rwandan soldiers, who are supporting Mozambique in the fight against the rebels.
