By MOZTIMES
Pemba (MOZTIMES) - The Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) this Monday opened a new position in Pangane village, on the coast of Macomia district, to cut off the logistics of the insurgents who are moving regularly from the Quiterajo region southwards.
According to local sources, the new position is an extension of the existing position in Mucojo-Sede and will be used to confine increasingly the insurgents to a small region at the mouth of the Messalo river, where it is believed that the main base of the group is located.
The Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM) have tried to occupy this base, located in the region known as the Catupa forest, but has never managed to dislodge the insurgents definitively. With the installation of the Rwandan forces in Pangane, it is expected that it will be easier to reach Catupa, after a period in which the insurgents are confined without access to their logistics.
The Pangane position is also strategic for cutting the access of the insurgents to the sea, including the islands near the coast, where the group has held logistical operations recently.
The Macomia district was previously an area of operations of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), stationed in Cabo Delgado as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM). But with its withdrawal in mid-2024, the region became vulnerable to attacks, which contributed to the expansion of the violence to the south of the province.
The Rwandan forces are gradually taking over the positions left by SAMIM, although their main focus remains Palma and Mocímboa da Praia districts, which are zones of influence of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects.
A new Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed last August between the Mozambican and Rwandan governments guarantees that the RDF will remain in Cabo Delgado for at least a further five years, until 2029, the year when the term of office of President Daniel Chapo ends and when work on the gas exploration and liquefaction projects is forecast to conclude.
Two killed in fresh attacks in Muidumbe
Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, a group of insurgents attacked Muambula village, in Muidumbe district, where, according to a local source, they killed two people, one of whom was a pupil from the Muambula Secondary School.
In the same raid, the insurgents kidnapped a further two people and looted food from local shops.
The jihadist insurgency has lasted for more than eight years, and although the government claims victories, it is still a threat to the local communities, with armed attacks occurring almost every day. (MT)
