Mozambique: Capture of Mocimboa da Praia only “the first stage” – Watch

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Capture of Mocimboa da Praia only “the first stage” – Watch

7:54 CAT | 11 Aug 2021

Photo: TVM

The commander of the Mozambican army, Maj-Gen Cristovao Chume, on Monday declared that the capture by Mozambican and Rwandan forces of the town of Mocimboa da Praia from the islamist terrorists of ISIS was only “the first stage”, and the next stage would be “to move forward and secure all the other remaining pockets of the insurgents until the Province is fully under government control”.

He was speaking to reporters in Mocimboa da Praia alongside Maj-Gen Innocent Kabandana, the joint commander of the Rwandan contingent.

According to a report in the Rwandan “New Times” newspaper, which has a correspondent accompanying the Rwandan forces, Chume said: “Two days ago, Mocimboa da Praia was a stronghold of the terrorists but now it’s liberated. We have been working together with the Rwandan troops for almost a month now and we see progress.”

“Rwanda has brave soldiers, the same way Mozambique has brave soldiers. And our actions talk more than words”, he added. “Mozambique and Rwanda, when united, we can do (even) better work.”

Kabandana noted that his contingent was very well received “by our colleagues” in the military, the police and other institutions. “Most important was the reception by the people. Wherever we passed, people cheered our convoys,” he said.

Chume could not say whether the remaining terrorist pockets can be cleared in two or three weeks because, he explained, “military operations are very complex – we need a lot of intelligence.”

Asked about how the jihadists operate in Mozambique, Chume said “they kill people, destroy infrastructure…they don’t want people to live in peace.They are destroying what we have achieved. They are fighting against development.”

The two commanders noted that while most of the terrorists may come from Mozambique, they have a number – especially leaders – from Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere in their ranks.

Chume believed that the terrorists’ grand scheme was to make Cabo Delgado the starting point for establishing an Islamic State in southern Africa.

As for the arrival of forces from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Chume said “SADC is not here (yet) in the area of operations. When they get here, we will operate with them. There is a place for everyone because we want to liberate Cabo Delgado.”

Watch three reports brought by TVM in Mocimboa da Praia.