The ISIS-affiliated insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has regained momentum, with security analysts warning that recent U.S. aid cuts are weakening programs that previously helped stabilize vulnerable communities. The renewed wave of attacks has displaced thousands and raised fears that the region may again descend into the intense violence seen between 2017 and 2021.
Humanitarian groups confirm that reductions in U.S.-funded initiatives — including community resilience projects, food assistance, and counter-radicalization programs — have left many locals without critical support. These gaps are being exploited by insurgent cells, who have resumed assaults on villages, taken hostages, and targeted natural gas infrastructure.
A regional security expert noted:
“The withdrawal or downsizing of U.S. support may not create the insurgency, but it has certainly removed layers of protection for communities that were beginning to recover.”
Mozambican forces, backed by troops from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), continue operations in affected districts. However, the resurgence has prompted calls for renewed international backing to prevent further escalation.
Local authorities warn that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly, with thousands forced to flee into neighboring provinces as attacks intensify.
Sources
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Al Jazeera Africa desk
Reuters Africa security reports
