The Mozambican president said this Friday that the action of the armed groups operating in the province of Cabo Delgado is now limited to “sporadic attacks”, eliminating the temptation of “triumphantist speeches” in the fight against terrorism, despite the “advancements”.
In recent times, increasingly weakened terrorists have been carrying out sporadic attacks in small groups, sometimes with the aim of stealing food,” said Filipe Nyusi.
Nyusi was speaking at the opening of the fifth ordinary session of the central committee of the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), the ruling party of which he is the leader.
The Defense and Security Forces (SDF), supported by the “local force” – a group of militias – and the government forces of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Rwanda pursue the armed groups, who fleeafter successive failures.
The head of state pointed out that “the advances against terrorism” are allowing the gradual return of the populations to their places of origin and the reestablishment of basic services such as access roads, schools, hospitals, administrative and financial services.
Despite the “reduction in the incidence of terrorist attacks”, insurgents remain “a great challenge” and you cannot embark on a “triumphantist speech” in the fight against the armed groups”, he stressed.
Filipe Nyusi pointed out that the country must continue to invest in increasing its defense capacity against security threats, including with international partners in the Cabo Delgado war.
On the other hand, investment must be made in the social and economic development of the province and the northern region, he stressed.
Cabo Delgado province is rich in natural gas but has been terrorized since 2017 by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group.
There are 784,000 internally displaced by the conflictaccording to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and some 4,000 dead, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.
Since July 2021, an offensive by government troops, with the support of Rwanda and SADC, has made it possible to recapture areas where there was a rebel presence.
Source: Observadora
