This archive report was first published on 9 August 2021.
Published on August 9, 2021, Rwandan forces, deployed in July to support Mozambique's army, have recaptured the key northern port of Mocimboa da Praia from extremist militants.
The port city, a major stronghold of the insurgency for over two years, was captured by Rwandan and Mozambican security forces, according to a tweet by the Rwandan Defence Forces.
Colonel Ronald Rwivanga, a force spokesman, confirmed the recapture, stating, "yes (Mocimboa da Praia) has fallen."
The port town, from where the first Islamist attacks were staged in October 2017, has been the de-facto headquarters of the Islamic State-linked extremists, locally referred to as Al-Shabaab.
The recapture marks the end of the first phase of counter-insurgency operations, which aimed to dislodge insurgents from their stronghold.
Rwanda sent in 1,000 troops last month to shore up Mozambican military forces struggling to regain control over the northern Cabo Delgado province, home to one of Africa's biggest liquefied natural gas projects.
The forces claimed their first success since deploying, saying they had helped the Mozambique army regain control of Awasse, a small but strategic settlement near Mocimboa da Praia.
Regional help has gained momentum in recent weeks, with forces from neighbouring countries deploying under the aegis of the 16-member regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Botswana was the first SADC country to send in troops, deploying 296 soldiers on July 26. South Africa announced it would deploy 1,495 soldiers on July 28, while Zimbabwe unveiled plans to dispatch 304 non-combat soldiers to train Mozambique's infantry battalions.
Angola deployed 20 specialised military airforce personnel, and Namibia contributed N$5.8 million (about $400,000) towards the anti-insurgency offensive.
