More than 70 children are missing following recent jihadist attacks in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, authorities have announced.
Thousands of people have fled to neighbouring states in recent weeks, leaving them separated from their families.
There are fears that some of them may have been kidnapped by Islamic State (IS) fighters. The regional troops helped the military respond to an insurgency involving Islamic extremists that began in 2017.
Violence has recently increased, with medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) saying 80,000 people have been displaced since January.
Children were among those who fled Cabo Delgado’s Chiure area to Nampula province in recent weeks.
Chiure, south of Cabo Delgado, has become a relatively safe haven for displaced people in recent years, although violence has been reported primarily in the northern part of the province.
Last week, President Filipe Nyusi said jihadists had specifically targeted Chiure and kidnapped children.
There are fears that they may have been taken to a training camp by militants, reports the private newspaper Expresso da Tarde.
It is not clear how many civilians have been killed in the recent violence in Kiure, where calm has now returned, according to the military.
Authorities say the children went missing in the panic during the run, and while some have since been found, 72 remain missing.
A new wave of jihadist attacks has forced the closure of 129 schools, with more than 60% of those displaced being children, according to a United Nations report.
According to Save the Children, this is the highest number of children forced to flee their homes in a short period of time.
“There have been repeated reports of beheadings and kidnappings, including several child victims. The conflict has already displaced 540,000 people, more than half of whom are children,” the charity said.
The insurgency started by al-Shabaab, a local militia allied with IS, in the gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado is now in its seventh year.
High levels of poverty and conflicts over access to land and jobs contribute to local discontent.