The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has presented the instruments for the deployment of a regional force to Mozambique where Islamic State-linked jihadists are wreaking havoc in the northern-most Cabo Delgado province.
SADC said in a statement on Saturday that its executive secretary, Stergomena Lawrence Tax, has “presented instruments of authority for deployment of the SADC Standby Force to the Republic of Mozambique, marking a major step in the regional effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism in the northern part of Cabo Delgado.”
“Dr Tax presented the instruments of authority as mandated by the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government to the force commander of the SADC Mission in Mozambique,” the regional bloc said.
The deployment comes weeks after leaders of the 16 SADC member states resolved in late June to send an intervention force for Mozambique where a deadly insurgency by the IS-linked militants has ravaged the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province since late 2017, claiming about 3,000 lives and displacing almost 800,000 people.
JN/APA