MOZAMBIQUE: 20 CHRISTIANS KILLED AND 2,000 DISPLACED

Between October 9–12, 2025, the ISLAMIC extremist group al-Shabab launched a brutal assault on Napala village in Chiúre district, northern Mozambique. The attack left at least 20 Christians dead, destroyed 1,300 homes—including two churches—and displaced around 2,000 believers.

A local pastor described how the situation worsened when Mozambique’s Defence and Security Forces (FDS)* failed to stop the insurgents. “Everything got worse when the FDS tried to intervene without success. When they fled, they left everything worse for those people,” he told Open Doors partners.

A community leader confirmed the military’s retreat intensified the violence: “Since the military were already in confrontation with terrorists, after they retreated, al-Shabab continued with great fury and attacks which caused all houses to be destroyed.” 

This attack is part of a broader pattern of violence in Chiúre district. ReliefWeb reports that between July 24 and August 3, a surge of displaced people arrived in Chiúre town following similar attacks. The province now hosts an estimated 425,000 internally displaced people, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Photos from Napala show scorched buildings, an abandoned village, and a ruined church. Some residents have attempted to return, hoping to salvage what remains.

Please join us in praying for the Christians of Napala using the points below and sign and share the Arise Africa petition to call on world leaders to seek justice, peace and restoration for the 16.2 million displaced Christians in sub-Saharan Africa.