Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Monday reiterated his government's commitment to improve the logistical conditions and intervention capacity of the country's armed forces (FADM), in order to eliminate the islamist terrorists, who have been active in the northern province of Cabo Delgado since October 2017.
Nyusi was speaking in the western city of Tete at ceremonies marking the 59th anniversary of the launching of the armed struggle for Mozambican independence on 25 September 1964.
He declared that the government is always ready to design better ways of encouraging the morale of soldiers on the front line in the battle against extremist groups.
"As a government, we shall continue to create the logistical conditions that boost the intervention capacity of the FADM, making our forces fit to respond to any security challenges', pledged Nyusi.
He wanted to see the most modern technological resources possible channeled to the armed forces, to help them defend the country's sovereignty.
The jihadist attacks in Cabo Delgado, in addition to the loss of human lives, had displaced many thousands of people from their homes, said the President, "with the systematic violation of human rights, the destruction of public and private infrastructures, and the suspension of development projects'.
He challenged the FADM to step up the training of its members, in order to raise its combat capacity, "to respond to the dynamic character of ever more diffuse threats'.
"It is our duty, as the institution responsible for defending and safeguarding our sovereignty, to combat energetically and eliminate each and every threat to national stability', he declared.
He expressed his appreciation for the bravery shown by the FADM in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, since normal life is being resumed in some districts that were once targeted by extremist groups.
He warned, however, that these results must never mean a slowdown in military action. On the contrary, they must be a reason to intensify the ongoing operations.
"We cannot make the mistake of deactivating the power of the Defence and Security Forces when we consider that the battle has been successfully won', Nyusi said. "The Mozambican Armed Forces are not in the defensive phase, they are in the offensive phase'.
Nyusi also recommended strengthening joint operations with the contingent of the SADC Military Mission for Mozambique (SAMIM) and the Rwandan Defence Force in the fight against terrorism.
