Insurgents active in northern Mozambique are increasingly abducting children, with at least 120 kidnapped this year although some have already been released, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

The gas-rich region has been plagued for years by insurgent violence that has killed thousands of people, caused others to flee and forced the suspension of a giant gas exploration project by TotalEnergies.

The armed group operating in Cabo Delgado province "has ramped up abductions of children", using them as fighters or for labour or marriage, the rights group said in a statement.

"In recent days, 120 or more children have been abducted," said Abudo Gafuro, executive director at the Kwendeleya national organisation that monitors attacks, in the statement.

Resurgence of kidnappings

This was the number of abductions recorded since January 2025, HRW deputy Africa director Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz told AFP when asked for details.

"Most of the abducted children are being used for transporting looted goods, forced labour, forced marriages, and taking part in the fighting," the statement said.

Some children had been released and it was unclear how many remained in the hands of the armed group, known locally as al-Shabab – though with no links to the Somali militants of a similar name.

HRW said it had interviewed nine people – Cabo Delgado residents, journalists, civil society activists and a UN official – who had all expressed concern about "the resurgence of kidnappings".