A group of 525 Mozambican soldiers benefited from an advanced infantry training course (a specialization for soldiers to fight in all types of terrain and under any weather conditions) led by instructors from the Rwandan Security Forces. The six-month training concluded last week with a graduation ceremony at the Nacala Training Center, located in Nampula Province, northern Mozambique.
According to a report by The New Times, the training was rigorous and met international standards, noting that the last course of this nature was conducted in 2011 by United States military personnel during a visit to the country.
The Rwandan newspaper reported that the graduation event was attended by State President Daniel Chapo, who took the opportunity to thank his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, for sending troops to help restore peace, security, and stability in Cabo Delgado Province, which has been plagued by terrorism since 2017.
“We commend the significant contribution of Rwandan forces in fighting terrorism in Mozambique. It is a rare opportunity to have an allied nation committed to training soldiers from another country, and we must appreciate this effort,” said Chapo.
Meanwhile, Major General Emmy Ruvusha, Commander of the Rwandan Security Forces, praised the Mozambican leadership for its cooperation and support in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado. He also congratulated the graduates on their efforts, emphasizing that they must use their newly acquired skills to help maintain Mozambique’s security and stability.
The Government of Rwanda deployed troops and police to Mozambique in July 2021, at the request of the Mozambican government, to restore state authority and security in Cabo Delgado, a region devastated by an insurgency linked to the Islamic State since 2017.
In November, the Council of the European Union (EU) approved an additional €20 million (1.3 billion meticais) to support Rwandan forces in counterterrorism efforts, describing the deployment as “crucial.”
“The existing assistance measure under the European Peace Facility aims to continue supporting the deployment of the Rwandan Defence Force in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province,” stated a joint communication from EU member states at the time.
The European Peace Facility was established in March 2021 to finance the EU’s external actions with military or defense implications, aimed at preventing conflict, preserving peace, and strengthening international security and stability.
Since October 2017, Cabo Delgado, a province rich in natural gas, has been the scene of an armed rebellion that has caused thousands of deaths and triggered a humanitarian crisis, with over one million internally displaced people.
In 2024 alone, at least 349 people have been killed in attacks by Islamist extremist groups in the province, a 36% increase compared to the previous year, according to recent data from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), an academic institution of the U.S. Department of Defense that specializes in analyzing conflicts in Africa.
The most recent major attack occurred on May 10–11, 2024, when around a hundred insurgents invaded and looted the district headquarters of Macomia, resulting in multiple deaths and intense clashes with Mozambican Defense and Security Forces, supported by Rwandan troops assisting in the fight against the rebels.
“We commend the significant contribution of Rwandan forces in fighting terrorism in Mozambique. It is a rare opportunity to have an allied nation committed to training soldiers from another country, and we must appreciate this effort.”
However, in recent days, terrorism has spread to another region. On April 29, the Mariri sport hunting camp, located within one of the controlled areas of the Niassa Special Reserve—an area of 42,000 square kilometers spanning eight districts, including parts of Cabo Delgado—was invaded by armed men, resulting in two deaths and two missing persons.
This was the second reported incident of suspected terrorist activity in the area, with the first occurring on April 24. Local reports indicate that an undetermined number of insurgents entered a village within the reserve, causing panic among residents.
The United Kingdom and the United States governments have recently issued warnings about terrorist movements in the Niassa Special Reserve, advising their citizens to reconsider travel to certain parts of the province.
Source: Diário Económico
