The European Union on Wednesday, November 3, launched a two-year mission to train Mozambican armed forces to be able to battle the Islamic State-linked insurgency in the countrys northernmost province Cabo Delgado. The mission will see 11 Mozambican special force units trained and equipped over the two-year period. The training will be focused on strengthening the armys operational capacity in addition to human rights and international law - key to winning the populations support in a conflict zone, the EU Ambassador to Mozambique, Antonio Sanchez-Benedito Gaspar, said. The 11 Mozambican special force units will have between 1,500 and 2,500 troops, according to sources in Maputo. On July 9, Rwanda, at the request of Mozambique, deployed 1,000 troops to Cabo Delgado to help fight the terrorists, stabilize the area and restore the authority of the state. Rwandan troops were sent to work closely with Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) and forces from Southern African Development Community (SADC), in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado. SADC leaders on October 5, agreed to extend their military mission – which intervened in Mozambique in July – so as to continue with offensive operations helping the government fight the insurgency. Mozambique Defence Minister Jaime Bessa Neto said the additional support from the EU will reinforce the security gains made in the province. Neto said: Our focus is to restore security...We believe this process of specialising our troops is the right step towards achieving this goal.” Beginning October 2017, armed extremists linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) launched an insurgency in Cabo Delgado. In August 2020, they seized the strategic port city of Mocimboa da Praia, captured Vamizi Island in the Indian Ocean in September 2020, and seized Palma, on March 24, murdering dozens of civilians and displacing more than 35,000 of the towns 75,000 residents. Women and children suffered most from the IS-linked terrorists’ savagery. EU Ambassador to Mozambique, Antonio Sanchez-Benedito Gaspar, said: No country, no region and no organisation can face these global challenges alone.” Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, on September 25, thanked the people of Rwanda and President Paul Kagame for having quickly understood his country’s need for help and acted accordingly to help thwart a threat posed by terrorists. Previously inaccessible areas of the province were cleared of insurgents and, by and large, peace and stability has returned in areas where Rwandan and Mozambican forces operate. On August 28, the joint forces started helping hundreds of people previously displaced by the terrorists to return to their homes. More than 25,000 people have so far returned home and resumed their normal lives in areas like Palma as Rwandan and Mozambican forces remain vigilant and continue to, bit by bit, pick out remnants of the insurgency. Denying breathing space to the insurgency in Cabo Delgado was crucial in weakening and repulsing them from the areas where Rwandan and Mozambican troops operate, Defence and Military Spokesperson, Col Ronald Rwivanga, recently noted. Cabo Delgado has 16 districts but the ones most affected by the insurgents’ terror activities were Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, Mueda, Mocamia, Muidumbe and Nangade.
