The Islamist insurgency raging in the northern Mozambican Cabo Delgado province on Thursday attacked and took over the coastal town of Quissanga, according to confirmed reports.
The insurgents met little resistance. Apparently, the few Riot Police Unit agents who were protecting the town ran off towards the beach.
In the last weeks, the insurgency seems to have escalated with the insurgents killing scores of Mozambican soldiers, burning property, including vehicles. In some instances, they act as human toll gates who extort money from motorists,
Comment
The capture of Quissanga might have coincided with the Political Commission of Mozambique’s Frelimo ruling party praising the bravery of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) in the so-called Northern Operation Theatre (TON) – this is ironical because the FDS have been dealt a defeat after defeat, with the latest battle seeing the fall of over 25 Mozambican soldiers.
The European Union and the United States have been training contingents of FDS for a while under the scope of military cooperation. It was expected that by now Mozambican forces would be displaying better military capabilities to put paid the insurgency. However, it would seem as if they have been throwing good money after bad.
For starters, it is worrisome that every time the insurgents attack FDS positions, they capture loads of weapons and ammunition, meaning that they manage to that because the country’s soldiers simply flee the battlefield.
A military source told Mozambique Insights that the major problem the FDS face is hunger. There is not enough food to go around, which does impact on morale. The source said that this has to do with structural issues that crisscross across almost all sectors of society.
Indeed, the main sectors, including the security cluster, are a picture of disorganisation, mismanagement and inefficiency. Perhaps, this has more to do with the lack of leadership more than anything else – right from the beginning of the insurgency, the Mozambican government has not been able to present a clear strategy on how to defeat the insurgency.
Unfortunately, the insurgency war will wage on much as the Political Commission turns a blind eye and choose to sing praises to President Filipe Nyusi for his “… commitment and dedication in promoting peace…”
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