A militant attack on the village of Ntontwe in northern Mozambique has left three people dead and dozens of homes and businesses destroyed, according to local officials and security sources. The assault occurred on Wednesday and marks yet another violent episode in the troubled Cabo Delgado province, which has been plagued by insurgent activity since 2017.

Ntontwe, located along a strategic road linking the northeast and south of the province, had only recently begun to repopulate after years of abandonment. Local leaders reported that 43 houses were burned and that the attackers looted and torched market stalls before fleeing.

Despite the presence of Mozambican troops stationed in the village, witnesses say the soldiers disappeared during the assault, allegedly removing their uniforms to avoid being targeted.

The village lies just 20 kilometers north of Chinda, where Rwandan forces are based as part of a regional military effort to combat insurgent groups. However, the Rwandan troops arrived too late to prevent the destruction.

A village elder lamented that “the insurgents had already done everything they wanted” by the time help arrived.

Humanitarian organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières and Solidarités International had been providing essential services to returning residents, estimated at around 5,000 as of October. The attack threatens to reverse recent gains in resettlement and stability.

This incident comes amid a broader escalation of violence in Cabo Delgado. According to the UN and the International Organization for Migration, nearly 60,000 people have been displaced in the past two weeks alone due to attacks by armed groups affiliated with the Islamic State.

The humanitarian response remains severely underfunded, with only 19% of Mozambique’s 2025 aid plan financed.

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