Christian nuns in Mozambique have recounted a terrifying ordeal of being held at gunpoint and threatened with decapitation during an armed robbery.

The Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament told the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that their convent was stormed by men carrying machetes and iron bars on June 8.

“Eight men came into the house, while the others stayed outside, controlling the gates and subduing the guards,” said Sister Ofélia Robledo Alvarado, who had been too afraid to speak out until now.

“We were terrified when we saw them enter our rooms, demanding money and taking everything they could get their hands on. They stole our computers, cell phones, and what little money we had.”

The Sisters said the men threatened them with decapitation as they ransacked the convent.

The attack left the community shaken, with several of the women remaining “quiet” in the days that followed.

While the intruders’ motivation remains unclear, Christians in Mozambique have faced growing hostility in recent years.

The attack came just one week after missionaries in nearby Mieze were robbed by another group wielding machetes. No one was harmed in that incident.

Mozambique has experienced a rise in jihadist extremism since 2017, when an insurgency displaced around 500,000 people.

Sister Aparecida Ramos Queiroz, who coordinates Aid to the Church in Need projects in the Diocese of Pemba, said urgent security measures are needed to protect religious communities.

Aid to the Church in Need continues to support local convents and churches by improving security and providing emergency aid to those displaced by violence.