Rwanda recently deployed additional troops to Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado, where Rwandan and Mozambican security institutions have been fighting terrorists since July 2021, President Paul Kagame said.

At the request of the Mozambican government, Rwanda initially deployed 1,000 military and police officers to Cabo Delgado, where Islamic State-linked insurgents had wreaked havoc since 2017.

Speaking on Wednesday, November 30 at the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed ministers, Kagame said the Rwandan troops in Cabo Delgado have reached more than 2,500.

Kagame said that another contingent arrived in Mozambique on early this week.

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He said the initial operation had been a success and now Rwanda and Mozambique had agreed to pursue the terrorists where they have since relocated to.

Until the joint Rwanda-Mozambican operations, Cabo Delgado, a coastal region with natural gas reserves, had been troubled by terrorist attacks, which killed over 4,000 civilians, and displaced tens of thousands.

"We have increased the troops because since our arrival in Mozambique many problems have been solved, in collaboration with the Mozambicans.In the areas we operate in, the problem has been solved completely. But because the terrorists have fled to other areas of Mozambique, we could not reach in all regions,” he said.

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The Southern African Development Community (SADC) also deployed troops to Cabo Delgado.

Kagame added that, "Apparently, the terrorists fled to other areas, beyond the scope of our operations. We have agreed with the Mozambican government to pursue the terrorists where they are now. That’s what we are going to do.”

Rwanda foots the bill

President Kagame said that all the operations of the Rwandan troops in Cabo Delgado were entirely sponsored by Rwanda’s budget.

"To make it clear, we have been increasing the troops since our arrival. There is no single country or organisation that has given us even a single coin to use in those operations. It is the money of our country that we use,” he said.

"With the few resources we have, we share with others. Some people have said that they will support us; we are waiting. If they help us, we will appreciate it. It should have happened yesterday, but it’s never too late to help.

I wanted to clarify that because some people think someone might have sent us money secretly or what. We have contributed the little means we have and sacrificed the lives of our children and those of Mozambicans,” President Kagame said.