More than 250,000 people earlier displaced by Islamic State-linked terrorists in parts of Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado returned to their homes and sea and air ports were re-opened, thanks to joint operations by Rwanda Security Forces (RSF) and the Mozambican army.
The coastal region was ravaged by the Ansar al Sunnah wal Jama’a terrorists who killed more than 4,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of others, since 2017.
In July 2021, Rwanda deployed 1,000 troops to Cabo Delgado, at the request of the Mozambican government.
Rwandan troops were initially deployed to the districts of Mocimboa da Praia, and Palma. In quick succession, in the months of July and August 2021, Rwandan and Mozambican forces successfully dislodged the terrorists from major towns and villages in the two districts.
The joint forces captured several major towns, trading centres, and villages, including the strongholds of Mbau and Awasse, along with other key areas such as Naquitengue, Chinda, Diaca, Primeiro de Maio, Quelimane, Pundanhar, and Nhica do Rovuma in Palma, Mueda, and Mocimboa da Praia city.
The joint forces captured the strategic port city of Mocimboa da Praia on August 8, 2021.
The RSF continues to support the Mozambique Government in restoring state authority in Cabo Delgado Province by conducting combat and security operations, stabilization, and security sector reform.
In November 2022, Kigali deployed more troops to the province to pursue the terrorists who were fleeing to other areas.
Rwandan forces then started operating in a third District.
Ancuabe
By the end of 2022, the Rwandan forces were deployed farther southwards, to Ancuabe District, in a new joint security deployment that was then called a “a high-level leadership decision” to pursue the terrorists that fled to southern parts of the province.
The new RSF-FADM deployment was meant to help dislodge new terrorist hideouts.
In Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, and Ancuabe, the Rwandan contingent is divided into military and police components with a level II field hospital. The contingent comprises more than 3,000 troops, all under the command of Maj. Gen. Alex Kagame, the Joint Task Force Commander of the RSF.
“We are committed and well-prepared to ensure security in the areas under our control so that security in Cabo Delgado Province is fully restored,” Kagame told reporters after community work (Umuganda) and medical outreach exercises jointly conducted by the RSF and Mozambican forces in Mocimboa da Praia city on Saturday, December 16.
The troops conduct operations including long-range patrols, mobile operating bases, confidence building patrols, fighting patrols, ambushes, and joint operations with the Mozambican Armed Defence Forces (FADM) and troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“All these operations contributed much to the defeat of the terrorists and, as a result, internally displaced people returned to their homes on the average of 87 per cent,” Kagame said.
Kagame said the relationship and the interaction between the local population and the Rwanda Security Forces was strengthened by outreach programmes like provision of medical service, community work, provision of school materials, and the construction of markets, among others.
“This created trust and good relations between the population, especially in the RSF area of responsibility. The situation of security has been enhanced,” he said, adding that more services have resumed, such as local government administrative offices, health centres, schools, and banks.
Thanks to the joint operations, Kagame said, Mocimboa da Praia saw the reopening of its sea port, and the inauguration of the airport, in October, by President Filipe Nyusi.
A number of terrorists and their leaders were killed and others captured, while a considerable number of weapons and assorted equipment was seized. In August, Bonomade Machude Omar, a key leader of the terrorists also known as Ibn Omar, was killed along with other senior members in a forest in Macomia District during a joint operation dubbed Hard Punch.
Though not in their area of responsibility, while providing temporary support, Rwandan troops often pursued the terrorists in Macomia, in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops deployed there. Operation Hard Punch which claimed Omar’s life was jointly conducted by the Mozambican, Rwandan, and SADC forces.
We are very happy for the collaboration
Mocimboa da Praia residents testify to a return to normal.
“We are free to move and we have hope for a better future. The Rwandan soldiers came to our rescue and we have hope,” said Ines Vasco, 29, who benefited from the medical outreach with her daughter, along with over 250 Mocimboa da Praia residents on Saturday.
For Captain Quenton Brink, the manager of the newly refurbished port of Mocimboa da Praia, their operations have not had any disturbance since in 2022 when the port resumed operations.
“The port is currently fully operational. We are what we call a tidal port. We do shipping operations, bringing vessels in and out during the high tides or when there’s efficient water. We've currently developed three berths and we’ve got a fourth berth still being developed,” he said.
Brink said the port is now fully operational serves two to three vessels a month, on average.
“We’re doing the general type of cargo, but we’ve got the capability of doing containerized cargo,” said.
In terms of security, Brink said he was “very comfortable” with the Rwandan and Mozambican armed forces. “We haven’t had any incidents since I have been on this site.”
Palma and Mocimboa da Praia Districts have seen about 80 of their displaced people return home and carry on with their normal lives, noted Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, Rwanda's Defence and Military Spokesperson.
On August 12, 2021, four days after the joint forces secured the port city of Mocímboa da Praia, the Governor of Cabo Delgado, Valige Tauabo, flew in accompanied by some regional officials and toured the port city. He thanked thanked the government of Rwanda for helping his country's military fight the Islamic-State linked terrorists.
At the time, Tauabo stressed that the Rwandan troops' collaboration with his country's military gave his people hope that long lasting peace and stability can prevail.
On Sunday, during a press conference at Palma Residences hotel in Palma city, Tauabo said, "There's stability in terms of security, where people move freely without any conditions.
“This is what the province, the country and the world need because Cabo Delgado is shared by people from all over the world."
On the joint operations by Rwanda Security Forces and the Mozambican army in Cabo Delgado, Tauabo said "they have done a very good job."
From the very start of the joint operations in Mocimboa da Praia, he said "we are very happy for the collaboration which they have with our national troops - the good relation."
Cabo Delgado Province has 17 Districts - Ancuabe, Balama, Chiúre, Ibo, Pemba-Metuge, Macomia, Mecúfi, Meluco, Mocímboa da Praia, Montepuez, Mueda, Muidumbe, Namuno, Nangade, Palma, Pemba, Quissanga. Ibo District is a small island district of Cabo Delgado Province located north of Pemba, on Ibo Island. The Province has five main municipalities: Chiúre, Mocímboa da Praia, Montepuez, Mueda and Pemba, the provincial capital.
Not all the districts were affected by the insurgency.
In 2017, the regions, initially, mainly affected by the insurgents’ terror activities were Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, Mueda, Mocamia and Muidumbe.