The combined troops of the Rwandan Security Forces and Mozambique Defence Forces (FDS), which are fighting against terrorist groups in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, have recently discovered a stockpile of weapons and ammunition hidden in the forest of Mocímboa da Praia district.
“Rwanda Security Forces, involved in Counter Terrorism and Counter insurgency Operations in Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique, discovered stockpiles of weapons and ammunitions that were hidden by the terrorists in Mbau, southeast of Mocimboa da Praia District in 2021”, reads a statement posted by the Ruanda Defence Ministry on its website.
According to the statement, the operation to discover the weapons is a pre-emptive action which denies the enemy the opportunity of returning and re-equipping themselves for further insurgent actions.
The arsenal includes hundreds of weapons, rockets, ammunition and cartridges.
Asked by AIM, to give further details of the operation a source from Mozambique’s Defence Ministry declined to make any comments on the matter.
Since July 2021, the Rwandan Defence Forces and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) have been working with Mozambican Defence and Security Forces in the fight against terrorism.
The province of Cabo Delgado is rich in natural gas, but has been plagued by terrorist attacks since 2017 perpetrated by armed groups causing the death of over 3,000 people, most of whom civilians.
On its last report on Mozambique the United Nations Refugee Agency says that nearly 1 million people have fled their homes over the last five years in Cabo Delgado as a result of violence.
