Mozambique: SADC troops in position, coming into action shortly – minister | O País

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Mozambique: SADC troops in position, coming into action shortly – minister | O País

3:16 CAT | 18 Aug 2021

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: O País]

Mozambique Defence Minister, Jaime Neto, has given assurances that the joint Mozambican and Rwandan troops fighting terrorists in Cabo Delgado are gaining ground.

It was on the sidelines of the 41st Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that the Minister gave the update on the troops sent by the regional bloc to fight terrorism.

“Right now, the SADC force is deploying wherever it has been sent, to [from there] pursue the enemy. I believe that the offensive by the Southern African Development Community [forces] will start very soon. Rwandan forces, like our own, have already engaged in combat several times, and we think that the work they have done was very good, because they have created conditions for the stabilisation of the areas from which the enemy was driven out,” Minister Neto explained.

The Minister of Defence said that the troops engaged in fighting the phenomenon of terrorism were increasingly gaining ground and reoccupying positions that were once under the control of the terrorist group.

“The results are positive, because it is already possible to walk at will from Mueda to Palma, and there is currently an advance towards the terrorist bases known as SIRI 1 and SIRI 2,” the Minister reported. “There are also significant advances in this direction in pursuit of the terrorists who fled.”

But Jaime Neto said that forecasts of the return of the populations to the affected districts were premature.

“There is work being done right now. There are several teams mandated by the President of the Republic to assess the current situation of infrastructure. We understand that the population must come back, yes, but we also have to guarantee minimum conditions. I’m talking about electricity, restoring state institutions, hospitals, schools, etc.,” Minister Neto explained.

Minister says Tanzania knows the importance of helping Mozambique

Jaime Neto countered views that Tanzania was unwilling to help Mozambique fight terrorism, reiterating that Tanzanian troops were already supporting Mozambique and playing other important roles.

“Tanzania has extended solidarity to Mozambique several times, providing relevant information. We have been working together and they have been helping us identify the enemies who cross the border. Tanzania sent its force, in addition to providing resources for patrolling the coast – it made its ships available – and we think that his is significant support. This country knows why it has to support Mozambique. Tanzania knows that if there is no coordination and cooperation, this phenomenon could spread to its territory,” he explained.

Mozambique wants to avoid example from Afghanistan by training the FDS

Asked by the newspaper ‘O País’ about the relevance of Afghanistan as an example of failed foreign military intervention, Jaime Neto argued that Mozambique was doing its best to provide the Defence and Security Forces with equipment and training.

“The responsibility for defending a territory is that of the forces in that territory. In the case of Mozambique, the primary responsibility lies with our Defence and Security Forces. We have friendly forces here with us, who are here to support this fight, but we are constantly building the capacity of our force to ensure the continuity of the actions that are being carried out by the friendly forces. Obviously, it will not be from one day to the next that we will have this power. A period of three months was stipulated for the permanence of foreign troops, there then being conditions for them to withdraw. As long as we are capacitated, we will face the situation alone,” the Minister said.

According to Minister Neto, the areas recovered by the forces on the ground will need thorough-going work by both the National Disaster Risk Management (INGD), and the Integrated Development Agency of the North (ADIN), to ensure that terrorism never finds a place in these communities again.

By Raul Massingue

Source: O País