Cabo Delgado’s recent spike in child abductions is neither incidental nor novel. Too often, these child abductions are treated as an unfortunate byproduct of conflict, rather than a deliberate targeting of a community’s most vulnerable members. Civil society groups and international observers have repeatedly called on Maputo and regional actors to prioritise the prevention of child abductions and exploitation. Statements from international organisations often describe child abductions in conflict zones as tragic reminders of the broader dangers faced by vulnerable communities. There is both a legal obligation and a moral imperative to embed child protection into the heart of counterinsurgency and peacebuilding frameworks.