Rwanda deploys 1000 troops to fight alongside Mozambique Army

By Frank Steven Ruta

On Wednesday, April 28th 2000 President Filipe Nyusi visited Rwanda and held talks with President Paul Kagame to discuss the insurrection issue in his country. President Kagame has previously said that Rwanda would wish to support in the fight if called upon, as it does in other countries on the continent.

Today, the Government of Rwanda issued a statement that reads “The Government of Rwanda, at the request of the Government of Mozambique, will today start the deployment of a 1,000-person contingent of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique, which is currently affected by terrorism and insecurity,”

“The Joint Force will work closely with Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) and forces from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in designated sectors of responsibility,” the statement said.

The Rwandan contingent will support efforts to restore Mozambican state authority by conducting combat and security operations, as well as stabilization and security-sector reform (SSR).

“This deployment is based on the good bilateral relations between the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Mozambique, following the signing of several agreements between the two countries in 2018, and is grounded in Rwanda’s commitment to the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine and the 2015 Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians,” the statement concluded.

According to some security personnel in Kigali, since May 2021, Rwanda had already sent in advance a group of troops to set and prepare the field for the contingent that is being deployed today. 

 The insurgency left more than 2,900 people dead and more than 50, 000 displaced.