A southern African regional force said it has “significantly paralyzed terrorist activities” in northern Mozambique, where fighters linked to the Islamic State had prompted TotalEnergies SE to freeze work on a $20 billion natural gas project.
(Bloomberg) — A southern African regional force said it has “significantly paralyzed terrorist activities” in northern Mozambique, where fighters linked to the Islamic State had prompted TotalEnergies SE to freeze work on a $20 billion natural gas project.
The 16-member Southern African Development Community’s deployment has helped drive the militants deep into the Catupa forest, a dense woodland near the coast, Major M.K. Letshwiti, a spokesperson for the mission, said in reply to emailed questions.
“The combined military operations have led to the return of internally displaced people to their areas of origin across the province and resumption of normal way of life,” he said. “Economic activities have resumed.”
Since Rwandan and SADC forces arrived in 2021, the insurgents have lost control of towns they held and been driven from various bases in the vast forests of Cabo Delgado province. Last month, the Mozambican government announced the death of the group’s head of operations, Bonomade Machude Omar, together with others.
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Yassir Hassan, who had been the spiritual and overall leader of the group, is also believed to have been killed earlier, Letshwiti said, without providing further details. Both Omar and Hassan were on US and EU sanctions lists.
Ensuring the region is safe is crucial to restart the natural-gas projects that Mozambique hopes will transform the economy of one of the world’s poorest countries. In July, TotalEnergies Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanne said the company “should have clarity on the way forward” on its investment before the end of the year.
Troop Withdrawal
Rwandan troops are largely stationed along the gas-rich northeastern coastline of the province, which has seen little fighting over the past year. SADC’s troops are responsible for a much wider area where attacks have been more frequent. In June, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the insurgency had largely been addressed.
The mandate of the SADC Mission in Mozambique, or Samim, is due to end by July 15 next year, Letshwiti said. The troops have been working to boost the capacity of Mozambique’s forces, in preparation for the exit.
Read More: Why Insurgency Places Mozambique’s Gas Riches at Risk: QuickTake
“The constant evaluation of the prevailing factors and indicators will determine the required forces,” he said in response to a question on the planned drawdown of the mission.
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