Kigali, Rwanda Press, 27 June 2023 – The Senior Defence and Security Advisor to Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Gen James Kabarebe on Tuesday met and held talks with the Mozambican Armed Forces Chief of General Staff, Admiral Joaquim Mangrasse in Pemba, Cabo Delgado province.
Since October 2017, Cabo Delgado Province has fallen victim to terrorism and insecurity manned by a group of insurgents affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
In July 2021, Rwanda deployed 1,000 Rwanda Defence Force troops and Rwanda National Police forces to Cabo Delgado – becoming the first responder country to help fight the insurgents.
The deployment was part of a special combat mission alongside the Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to uproot the insurgents linked to Islam’s militia groups.
Gen Kabarebe arrived in Mozambique on June 23 and visited the Rwandan Security Forces operating in Cabo Delgado Province.
According to RDF, the Mozambique Chief of General Staff who was accompanied by Military Commanders including Navy Commander, Real Admiral Eugenio Dias Elias da Silva Muatuca and Army Commander, Maj Gen Tiango Alberto Nampele appreciated Rwanda’s Support in fighting terrorism and restoring normalcy in Cabo Delgado province.
During their discussions with Gen Kabarebe, the Mozambique army chief said that since Rwanda’s intervention in the war-torn province, over 80% of Internally Displaced People have returned back to their homes and resumed socio-economic activities.
Gen Kabarebe said that Rwanda and Mozambique share a lot of commonalities in their history and experience and appreciated the existing bilateral cooperation and cordial relations and encouraged the joint forces to continue working together to maintain the gains.
