Rwandan troops have unearthed a stockpile of weapons and ammunition in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province where they are helping to fight Islamic State-linked insurgents, APA learnt here on Monday.
According to a statement to APA by the Rwandan Ministry of Defence, the stockpiles of weapons and ammunition were discovered in Mbau, south-east of Mocimboa da praia district where they were allegedly stashed in 2021.
“The operation to discover the weapons is a pre-emptive action which denies the enemy the opportunity of returning and re-equipping for further insurgent actions,” the statement said.
The arms cache, which included hundreds of small arms, rockets, ammunition and shells, was allegedly hidden by the terrorists when the Rwanda Defence Force pursued and dislodged them from strongholds in areas in Siri 1 and 2 in the Mbau area.
Rwanda joined forces with the Southern African Development Community in 2021 to assist Mozambican troops to repel insurgents who have wreaked havoc in the northern Cabo Delgado region since 2017.
The intervention has managed to slow down activities by the terrorists, with notable casualties on both sides of the conflict.
JN/APA