The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has sounded the alarm over a worsening humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique, where more than 100,000 people have fled their homes in the past week alone.

This marks the fourth major wave of displacement in recent months and has placed immense strain on already overwhelmed host communities.

UNHCR spokesperson Xavier Creach described the situation as “dire,” noting that families are crowding into classrooms and makeshift shelters without adequate food, water, or sanitation. Many arrive traumatized and in need of mental health care, but services remain severely limited. Creach warned that violence has now spread into previously safe districts in Nampula and Niassa provinces, further expanding the crisis.

“They’ve sheltered 1.3 million—now they’re at risk too.” - Creach

The conflict, which began in 2017 with ISIL-linked insurgents in Cabo Delgado, has displaced 1.3 million people overall, killed thousands, and disrupted gas projects worth an estimated $20 billion. Recent assaults have razed entire villages, forcing families to trek through flooded terrain during the rainy season.

Although the Mozambican government, supported by Rwandan and SADC troops, has reclaimed some territory, analysts argue that underfunding and corruption continue to leave critical gaps in security and humanitarian response.

Sexual violence against women remains rampant, compounding the humanitarian emergency, as the UNHCR urges international donors to step up aid while warning that without urgent action, displacement could double by mid-2026.