The Governor of Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado, Valige Taliabo, on Thursday, August 12, thanked the troops and government of Rwanda for helping his country's military fight the Islamic-State linked terrorists.

He stressed that the Rwandan troops' collaboration with his country's military gives his people hope that long lasting peace and stability can prevail.

The governor flew in accompanied by some regional officials and toured the port city of Mocímboa da Praia, following its capture by Rwandan and Mozambican forces last weekend.

He told Rwandan troops there including Brig Gen Pascal Muhizi - whose unit is part of the force that worked with Mozambican forces to capture the city - that "we are so happy for the work you have done for us."

"We appreciate all the work you, Rwandan soldiers, have done for Cabo Delgado. alot of work has been done and we appreciate it."

Taliabo said they will, after their tour, consider what next steps to follow as they consider how best to help people return to what now looks like a ghost city after all its nearly 60,000 residents were forced to flee from the terrorist  in the past few years.

"We now have to carefully examine all the humanitarian issues and have them dealt with. They (city residents) moved away from here because of insecurity. If we have to bring them back here we have to ensure some things are ready. But at this stage, we are happy. We are very happy with our troops and the troops from Rwanda who made all this possible."

The city's key infrastructure including schools, hospitals and commercial and residential buildings were burnt and others bombed. But former residents are happy that the war and the terrorists' occupation is no more, thanks to the Rwandan and Mozambican military collaboration.

Faruk Jamal, a businessman whose properties worth billions of US dollars were destroyed by the terrorists also joined the Governor in the tour.

Jamal showed The New Times a string of buildings of his that were razed and noted that he has been losing $2.5 million "in profits" every year all because of the insurgency since 2017.

When things got so bad, Jamal who, among other things, owned a big saw mill, real estate and other business in the city, fled to the provincial capital, Pemba.

"All I can say now is, thank you to the Rwandan government, and the troops who are here, for all their help. I have many things. I have, for example, five concessions that are not working now. I am ready to come back and build from scratch now," Jamal told The New Times.