"The current security situation shows that, despite the progress made in the fight against terrorism, there are sporadic movements and attacks by terrorists, which create a feeling of insecurity and instability among the population", stated Cristóvão Chume.
Chume was speaking during the solemn ceremony marking the end of the Southern African Military Mission (SAMIM), deployed in the fight against insurgency in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.
"Our combined actions have generated enormous defeats for terrorists, including countless casualties," he declared.
Joint operations between government forces from Mozambique, Rwanda and SAMIM resulted in the destruction of rebel bases, the return of the population to their areas of origin and the reopening of public and private institutions in districts ravaged by armed violence in Cabo Delgado, said the minister .
"We are making efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the Defense and Security Forces in combating terrorism and defending sovereignty and we are also implementing the Cabo Delgado reconstruction plan for 2021-2024, which is based on humanitarian assistance, recovery of infrastructures and social and economic activities", he emphasized.
Chume noted that the SAMIM deployment "strengthened" the response to the terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado and demonstrated the capacity of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to contain threats to security and peace in the region.
On the other hand, he continued, the mission was to demonstrate the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood among the member countries of the community.
For his part, Mpho Molomo, head of SAMIM, welcomed the availability of SADC countries to support Mozambique in the fight against terrorism, emphasizing the result in containing the spread of insecurity and instability in Southern Africa.
"The deployment of SAMIM is in line with the SADC Protocol on Cooperation in the area of Politics, Defense and Security, within the framework of the Mutual Defense Pact", highlighted Molomo, from Botswana.
SAMIM has been in Cabo Delgado since mid-2021 and, in August 2023, SADC approved the extension for another 12 months, until July this year, providing for a progressive withdrawal plan.
The mission comprised troops from eight SADC countries "working in collaboration with the Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique and other troops deployed to Cabo Delgado".
Since October 2017, Cabo Delgado has faced an armed rebellion with attacks claimed by movements associated with the extremist group Islamic State.
The last major attack took place on May 10 and 11, on the district headquarters of Macomia, with around a hundred insurgents looting the town, causing several deaths and heavy fighting with the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces.
The population of other districts of the province has reported the movement of these groups of insurgents, who cause panic as they pass, in the forests, but without any record of clashes, which happens at a time when peasants are trying to carry out harvesting work in the fields of cultivation.
The President of Mozambique stated on June 16 that the action of the various defense forces made it possible to eliminate "practically all" the bases of terrorist groups operating in Cabo Delgado, which are now limited to "walking around in the bush".
