Over 120 Children Abducted by Islamist Insurgents in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, Rights Group Warns
Mozambique’s Hidden Tragedy: Over 120 Children Abducted by Insurgents in Cabo Delgado
Human Rights Watch and aid groups call for urgent action amid escalating violence and humanitarian crisis.
More than 120 children have been kidnapped by Islamist insurgents in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, according to a harrowing new report from Human Rights Watch. The abductions—carried out in recent days—are part of a resurgent wave of violence in the region and reflect the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in this long-troubled corner of the country.
The children are being used by insurgents affiliated with the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), known locally as al-Shabab (not affiliated with the Somali group of the same name), for transporting looted goods, forced labor, and in some cases, as child soldiers. Rights groups warn that this marks a devastating escalation in a conflict that has raged since 2017, displacing hundreds of thousands and claiming thousands of lives.
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A Relentless Insurgency
Cabo Delgado’s troubles began with the rise of a jihadist insurgency in 2017, initially dismissed as a local issue. But over time, the violence grew in scale and brutality. In 2020, insurgents launched a wave of horrifying attacks, beheading dozens of civilians, including children, and razing entire villages. Today, the group has pledged allegiance to ISIS and is increasingly organised and lethal.
Despite the Mozambican government’s efforts, security forces have struggled to contain the insurgency, often relying on military support from Rwanda, South Africa, and other members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Yet these efforts have not been enough to prevent the recent resurgence of attacks and mass abductions.
Witnesses say that abducted children are now appearing in subsequent assaults as fighters, raising grave concerns over the use of child soldiers—a practice that violates international humanitarian law and devastates families and communities.
A Crisis on Multiple Fronts
The United Nations estimates that more than 600,000 people have been displaced by the violence in Cabo Delgado. In the last two months alone, Human Rights Watch has recorded an uptick in attacks and abductions, with the kidnapping of over 120 children being the most alarming recent development.
Beyond the armed conflict, Cabo Delgado faces a series of compounding crises. The region has been battered by climate-related disasters, including several cyclones that destroyed infrastructure, homes, and crops. The resulting disruption has worsened already fragile livelihoods and amplified food insecurity.
To make matters worse, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign aid cuts have severely impacted humanitarian operations in the region, limiting the ability of organisations to provide emergency support and rebuild community resilience.
Humanitarian Alarm Bells
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has labeled the situation in northern Mozambique a "neglected crisis." Jan Egeland, the organisation’s Secretary General, recently visited the region and issued a dire warning:
“Climate shocks, increasing violence and spiralling hunger are having a terrible impact on the population,” Egeland said.
According to the NRC, over 5 million people in Mozambique are currently facing critical levels of hunger, and more than 900,000 are already in emergency hunger conditions—one step away from famine. With schools destroyed and communities fractured, children are the most vulnerable.
Rights Groups Demand Urgent Action
Human Rights Watch is urging the Mozambican government to take immediate and coordinated action to find the abducted children and prevent further kidnappings. They also call for stronger regional cooperation, better protection for civilians, and more effective humanitarian responses.
“These children are not just missing—they are being exploited and forced into roles no child should ever experience,” said a Human Rights Watch spokesperson.
But such efforts require not only political will and military capacity, but also international attention and funding, both of which have been lacking. The global spotlight has often passed over Cabo Delgado, especially during Mozambique’s deadly post-election unrest in 2024, which shifted focus to the south of the country.
The World Must Not Look Away
What is unfolding in northern Mozambique is a complex humanitarian emergency—a lethal cocktail of armed conflict, child exploitation, climate disasters, and chronic food insecurity. With over 120 children abducted in a matter of days and a vast population living on the edge of starvation, inaction is not an option.
Regional forces may help stabilise the situation temporarily, but lasting peace in Cabo Delgado will require sustained international support, inclusive development, and above all, justice for the victims—especially the children who have borne the brunt of this forgotten war.
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Human Rights Watch reports over 120 children abducted by Islamist insurgents in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado. As violence escalates and hunger worsens, aid groups call for urgent international action.