A report reveals that following violent attacks in the Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, area by Islamic extremists, more than 2,838 people have died, including over 1,400 civilians, and hujndreds of thousands have been forced to relocate for their safety.
Save the Children's International, Plan International, and World Vision published a report this month detailing the escalation of the violence in Cabo Delgado over the past year, with children bearing the brunt of the consequences.
The report indicates that around 800,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, and Zambezia as a consequence of violence and instability, according to UN estimates.
Also according to estimates, this includes at least 350,000 children temporary lodging in IDP (internally displaced people) camps, with relatives and friends, or being transferred by the Government to new resettlement locations where they will need to begin their lives anew. These children are living in deplorable circumstances and are in desperate need of food, clean water, shelter, and medical attention and care.
A number of suggestions are included in the report. The first item on its list is addressed to the international community, which includes the United Nations and regional organizations. It stated that it "must, without delay," encourage the implementation of a peace process and examine the fundamental reasons of the conflict with the opposing parties, including years of "underdevelopment."
It further urged the government of Mozambique to provide unhindered humanitarian access, both for people and supplies, as well as to expedite the processing of humanitarian visas, in order to allow responders to address the crisis as soon as possible.
It has taken a "devastating" toll on the lives of Mozambicans, according to Amy Lamb, director of communications at Open Doors, who spoke with The Christian Post (CP) about the "fresh wave of violence" in the country.
For the first time, Mozambique has been included in Open Doors' World Watch List as one of the most persecuted nations, according to Lamb. This is due to the violence that has swept across the country, which has been mainly led by jihadist extremists targeting Christians in country.
CP noted that the nation in southeastern Africa is home to about 17 million Christians, accounting for more than half of the total population. Aside from that, according to Lamb, it also has one of the world's fastest increasing evangelical communities.
She went on to say that Christians, in particular, are targeted with violence, and she thinks that the government is complicit in this practice.
"Because of [the rise in Christianity], we're seeing jihadist groups including those who are affiliated with the Islamic state, with al Shabab, with Boko Haram, al Qaeda," she said.
"So as far as the government of Mozambique, in some ways, it's not helping because there are some of those antipathies even at the highest level, so when it's pervasive at the lower level, it's combining into a perfect storm," she added.
She then appealed to the American Church to pray for Christians in Mozambique, as well as for those who have been displaced by the country's ongoing conflict.
"Pray for God's intervention in the violent attacks, and as rapidly as we have seen this wave of violence rise, that we would see it decline just as fast," said Lamb.
