Shortly after hiring military experts from the United States to train the Rwanda People’s Force, President Paul Kagame has started spreading wings across the region.
On Friday, the of land with 1000 hills Rwanda’s began a two-day visit to Mozambique’s insurgent-hit north, where he has sent 1,000 troops to help local soldiers fight jihadist militants.
“President Kagame and President Nyusi are now meeting with the Rwandan Joint Forces working with Mozambican Defence Armed Forces to help restore peace and stability in Cabo Delgado Province.” Friday morning, the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency tweeted in the Kinyarwanda language.
One of the activities planned during his two-day visit will be meeting the armed forces and police “sent to Cabo Delgado to restore peace”, it added.
Foreign forces have helped Mozambique regain ground since militants launched a coordinated assault on the port town of Palma in March, offsetting multi-billion-dollar gas projects and raising international concern.
Alongside Rwanda, members of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc have also dispatched troops, including almost 1,500 pledged by Mozambique’s neighbor, South Africa.
“I am grateful to you for giving us soldiers who came to work with other soldiers to protect our country. They are real heroes. Our citizens are forever grateful for the kind of service these soldiers have shown and for liberating them from rebels who had taken over Cabo Delgado. Thank you for the cooperation between our soldiers. The Rwandan soldiers have shown immense respect to our citizens. They are loved and respected. Our soldiers are forever indebted to you and we look forward to continuing rebuilding the lives of our citizens for the better.” President Nyusi speaking to Rwandan Joint Forces in Mozambique.
The European Union has meanwhile set up a military mission for Mozambique to help train its armed forces.
The violence has killed more than 3,306 people, half of them civilians, and displaced at least 800,000 from their homes over the past four years.
Mozambican forces backed by Rwandan troops struck a major victory in August when they drove insurgents out of their de facto headquarters in the port city of Mocimboa da Praia.
