This archive report was first published on 12 November 2021.
On Thursday, Mozambique announced the creation of a new elite force to combat the growing threat of Islamist insurgency in the country's northern province of Cabo Delgado.
President Filipe Nyusi appointed new ministers of defence and interior, Cristovao Chume and Jaime Chissano, respectively, in a move aimed at strengthening the government's response to the crisis.
The new force, comprising elite soldiers and police, is designed to replace foreign troops once they return home, with Rwanda providing training for the new unit.
Police General Commander Bernardino Rafael emphasized the need for a unified approach to combat terrorism and kidnapping, which have plagued the region since 2017.
"Both terrorism and kidnapping are crimes that create terror," Rafael said in a speech to security forces. "Terrorism creates terror in Mozambicans, scares and drives away development and investment in our country."
More than 3,100 troops, led by a Rwandan contingent, have been deployed to Cabo Delgado, and the government claims to have regained control over most of the region.
However, the crisis has had devastating consequences, with at least 3,340 people killed and over 800,000 displaced since 2017.
The region's underdevelopment and lack of investment have contributed to the unrest, with Total suspending its $20 billion natural gas project due to the violence.
