Mozambican Ministry of Defence says that military conflict is under control

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Mozambican Ministry of Defence says that military conflict is under control

4:41 CAT | 31 May 2016

The Mozambique Ministry of Defence said yesterday there was no need for any Southern African Development Community military involvement to help resolve the military conflict in the country, and that the situation was under control.

“The (military) situation has not yet reached levels that raise the possibility of SADC intervention; internal control of the situation is still possible,” the head of the Office for Cooperation of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Defence of Mozambique, Chongo Vidal, told the press.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 24th meeting of the SADC Defence Subcommittee, Vidal said that the rules of the organization’s military intervention treaties do not apply to the current situation in Mozambique.

Vidal said that yesterday’s meeting is part of SADC efforts to prepare its regional force to contribute to the African Union State of Alert force, which is set to be ready by the end of this year.

“As an African sub-region, the SADC should make their contribution to the African Union State of Alert force, a continental entity sustained by contributions from African states,” Vidal said.

Vidal said that the creation of a force aims to give the continent a defence mechanism able to intervene against threats to peace and stability in Africa, ending dependence on the international community with regard to peacekeeping missions.

Central Mozambique is currently the scene of clashes between the defence and security forces and the armed wing of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the main opposition party, and several sections of the country’s main roads have been the target of attacks attributed to the movement, with road traffic in sections of the road accompanied by military escort.

Renamo has a long-standing demand to govern in the six provinces in the north of the country where it claims victory in the general elections of October 2014.

Source: Lusa