The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has again extended its mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) which has been actively fighting Islamic State insurgents in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
The mandate was extended following the 42nd ordinary summit of heads of state and government of SADC, held in Kinshasa, DRC. The summit acknowledged that the mission continues to achieve milestones in reinstating security and calm in the troubled province.
Since July 2021, an offensive by government troops with Rwandan support, later joined by SAMIM, allowed the recovery of areas where terrorists had been present, in northern districts, near Tanzania, notably the districts of Palma and Mocimboa da Praia. The extension is especially welcome seeing as, despite the presence of the allied forces, insecurity persists; the militants operate in relatively autonomous cells, and their self-reliance contributes to the difficulty the government has had in tracking down and identifying their support networks.
