More than 4,500 children in 11 primary schools in the northern Mozambican city of Palma went back to school on Monday, January 31, after nearly five years without attending class due to the insecurity caused by the Islamic State-linked insurgency in their region.

A ceremony to launch the return to school exercise, according to sources in the city, was held at one of the schools, Escola Primaria 16 de Junho de Palma, which has 647 pupils.

Rwandan and Mozambican armed forces secured Palma, a touristic coastal town on the northeast coast of Cabo Delgado Province, last year and started helping its inhabitants return to carry on with their normal lives.

It took some time before the civilian population of the coastal city who had ran away could return and resettle, and school infrastructure which was vandalised by the terrorists before they fled could, restored.

In March last year, the terrorists seized Palma, murdering dozens of civilians and immediately displacing more than 35,000 of the town's 75,000 residents.

Presently, however, more than 40,000 of the city’s residents have returned and settled in after Rwandan and Mozambican security forces secured it. But people are yet to fully return to their homes in other parts of Palma District and other parts of Cabo Delgado Province.

Last year, after being repulsed from Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, and Mueda – the regions where Rwandan forces operate from – the insurgents fled southwards, crossed the Messalo, a major river of north-eastern Mozambique flowing through Niassa and Cabo Delgado Provinces, into Macomia district which is in the SADC force's designated sector of responsibility.  

On July 9, 2021, at the request of Maputo, Kigali deployed troops to the latter’s northernmost Province of Cabo Delgado to help fight the terrorists, stabilize the area and restore state authority.

Rwandan forces have conducted counter-terrorism operations with Mozambique’s military in Cabo Delgado since July 2021 and have recorded major battlefield victories against the extremists.

After purging the insurgents from the Rwanda Security Force's areas of responsibility, especially in Palma and Mocimboa da Praia districts, the Rwandan Security Force in partnership with Mozambique's armed forces started stabilization operations that include repatriating civilians to their homes so they continue with their normal lives.

Cabo Delgado has 16 districts but the ones initially most affected by the insurgents’ terror activities were Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, Mueda, Mocamia, Muidumbe and Nangade.

The complete recovery of the province is premised on the resumption of economic activities and settling of displaced persons in their homes followed by a deliberate process of reforming the security sector through training and capacity development of Mozambique security forces.

The government of Rwanda promised Maputo that it will remain committed, in partnership with Mozambique Forces, to finding lasting peace in the country.