SADC Summit Backs Mozambique In 'terrorism' Fight

Countries around southern Africa on Monday voiced support for Mozambique as it grapples with jihadist insurgents who have seized a key port in its gas-rich north

Maputo, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Aug, 2020 ) :Countries around southern Africa on Monday voiced support for Mozambique as it grapples with jihadist insurgents who have seized a key port in its gas-rich north.

A statement issued by leaders of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) declared their "commitment to support Mozambique in addressing the terrorism and violent attacks." Leaders, conferring in an annual summit that was held by video conference, also praised Maputo for its "continued efforts." At least 1,500 people have died and around a quarter of a million have fled their homes since a shadowy jihadist group began attacks on remote locations in northern Mozambique in October 2017.

The low-key insurgency has become increasingly brazen, and last week fighters seized the port of Mocimboa da Praia, the cornerstone of a plan to develop the region's gas riches.

The port has been under the Islamists control for six days now, despite deployment by the Mozambican army.

Analysts said the SADC's commitment fell far short of concrete plans of collective action.

"They could have appointed special envoys... a fact-finding mission, they could have talked about the humanitarian crisis -- but there is nothing of that sort," said Liesl Louw-Vaudran, a senior researcher at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

"It is disappointing," she said. "You get a sense it still being treated as Mozambique is handling (the conflict) alone".

The Mozambican army has hired private military contractors to help, including Russia's Wagner and the South Africa-based Dyck Advisory Group, according to various researchers.

But analysts say those efforts have been ineffective so far and there are fears the insurgency could spread to other countries in the region.

The SADC comprises Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, eSwatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.