This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
On June 24, 2021, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) approved the deployment of the SADC Standby Force to combat terrorism and acts of violent extremism in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.
The decision was made at the end of a one-day summit in Maputo, where leaders from the 16-member bloc met to discuss the growing insurgency in the region.
According to military and security sources, clashes had broken out in Palma district, near the multi-million-dollar Afungi LNG gas site, with insurgents being repelled with air support.
However, one helicopter that was trying to deploy troops had to make an emergency landing due to technical problems, with no indication of casualties.
The SADC document leaked earlier this year recommended sending around 3,000 soldiers to Cabo Delgado province, where insurgents have seized control of towns and villages, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.
Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi, a former defence minister, had initially shied away from asking for foreign military intervention to fight the jihadists, relying on private military companies instead.
However, under pressure from the SADC, Nyusi thanked his counterparts for the support to 'eradicate terrorism and violent extremism' in Cabo Delgado, saying it will complement the efforts of Mozambican forces.
The violence in the gas-rich north of Mozambique has escalated since breaking out in late 2017, with fears that it could spill over into neighbouring countries.
