Rwanda was the first African country to send troops to support the Mozambican army in fighting jihadists in the northern Cabo Delgado region. Since 2017, Al Shabaab fighters linked to the Islamic State group have killed thousands of civilians and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Our correspondent Simon Wohlfahrt went on patrol with Rwandan troops.
Since their military intervention in July, the Rwandans have claimed a series of victories, such as retaking the strategic port town of Mocimboa da Praia from the jihadists. Kigali's main objective in Cabo Delgado is to protect hard-hit civilians, as several eyewitnesses told FRANCE 24 in this report.
But the soldiers are also watching over strategic locations, such as the French energy giant Total's €20 billion natural gas project. The company suspended operations back in April after jihadists attacked the city of Palma, just 10 kilometres away. Today, the Rwandan army defends the site.
