In late November 2025, a wave of violence terrorized northern Mozambique, with a series of coordinated attacks that left at least 22 Christians dead and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes
The attacks were carried out by armed militiamen linked to the Islamic State Province of Mozambique, an extremist group that has been active in the region for years.
It all started on November 20, when extremists invaded the village of Primeiro de Maio, in the Muidumbe district, killing four civilians and setting several houses on fire.
Neighboring villages, such as Nampanha and Mapate, also suffered from the fury of the attackers, who left bodies in the streets and forced residents to flee to forests or cities considered safer.
Survivors say that thousands of families lost everything: homes burned, property destroyed and lives taken as they tried to escape.
The situation worsened further on November 25, when attacks spread to Memba district in Nampula province.
In the village of Mazua, at least four civilians were murdered, generating widespread panic.
More than 80 thousand people were forced to leave their communities, abandoning homes, plantations and even churches in places such as Lúrio, Mazula, Pavala, Sirissa, Nhage and Nahavara.
Many fled during the night, with little time to take anything.
During this week of terror, extremists went from house to house, setting fires and persecuting residents.
Christians stood out as especially vulnerable targets because of their faith, which worsened the suffering of the religious community in the region.
Catholic Bishop Alberto Vera of Nacala, whose diocese includes parts of the affected areas, described the tragedy as extremely painful.
He reported that it was a week of terror and a lot of suffering, with entire families – parents, children, elderly people – running to safer places, terrified and without options.
The bishop emphasized that people just want to live in peace, and that the church accompanies the people in this ordeal, even though it has lost churches and important structures.
These recent episodes reinforce the long history of violence in northern Mozambique, where extremism has caused deaths, destruction and a serious humanitarian crisis, with Christian communities among the hardest hit.
Thousands remain displaced, living in precarious conditions and in fear of further attacks.
Published in 01/23/2026 09h02
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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