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Rwanda Sends 1,000 Soldiers, Police to Fight Mozambique Militants

Edward Rwema

   Rwanda says itis sending1,000security personneltoCabo Delgado province
   innorthernMozambiqueto help fight Islamist militantswho have terrorized
   the region.

   In a statement issuedFridayon the government's website, Rwanda saidthe
   deploymentwould startimmediately andwas being done atthe request of the
   Mozambican government.

   Mozambican officials did not respond to VOA'srequest forcomment Friday.

   "We are deploying 1,000 soldiers and policemen to help Mozambique in
   the fight against jihadists in CaboDelgado," Rwandan army spokesman
   Colonel RonaldRwivangatold VOA's Central African Service.

   The Rwandan government said its troops would join forces with
   Mozambique's and others from the South African Development Community to
   "support efforts to restore Mozambican state authority by conducting
   combat and security operations."

   SADC countries agreed last month to deploy forces to troubled Cabo
   Delgado but have yet to announce the size of the force or a
   timeline.Rwanda is not a member of the 16-country bloc.

   Cabo Delgado has experienced several years of unrest thatintensified in
   2020, when Islamistextremists seized parts of the province,including
   the city ofMocimboadaPraia.OnMarch24of this year,militants took control
   of thecoastal townof Palmafor several days,displacing more than 35,000
   civilians.New attacks have been reported near Palma in recent weeks.

   The insecurity led the French energy company Total to suspendits
   multi-billion-dollar liquified gas project inCabo DelgadoApril.Cabo
   Delgado hasMozambique's largest natural gas reserves.

   Rwanda saidthetroopdeploymenttoMozambiqueis based onthe two countries'
   good relationsfollowing several agreements in 2018.

   Asked if Rwandamayincrease its contingent in the future,Rwivangasaid
   "as of now that is the number we agreed on, but, if they feel the need
   to increase it, they will let us know."

   Asked if Rwanda does not fear retaliation fromjihadists,he said,"I
   think it would not be the first time we are fighting jihadists. You
   very well know that we faced that issue elsewhere, including in Central
   Africa Republic. We are used to dealing with such issues and it should
   not be a concern to us."

   This report originated in VOA's Central Africa service.

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