Mozambique: Mozambique's Army Is Losing a Crucial Counter-Insurgency Battle

Mozambique's army has been losing the crucial counter-insurgency battle in Cabo Delgado province, despite foreign training and efforts to improve logistics and equipment. The Mozambique Defence Armed Forces (FADM) was caught off guard by the terrorist attack in Cabo Delgado nine years ago, due to its lack of combat capability, modern military equipment, and military intelligence.

Over the years, the FADM has received substantial external training and support from various countries, including the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), European Union (EU), Algeria, United States (US), and others. The EU's training mission has had the greatest impact, training over 1,600 military personnel in command and control, communication, civil-military cooperation, human rights, and international humanitarian law.

However, the FADM's progress on the ground remains limited, as inadequate security, human rights violations, and military equipment weaknesses continue to hinder their efforts. Terrorist groups have regained momentum, staging deadly ambushes and stealing food, leading to the introduction of joint police and FADM escorts, yet insurgents still manage to launch attacks.

Human rights violations, including sexual exploitation of displaced women and war crimes against captured terror suspects, persist despite EU training emphasizing human rights. With the EU's training mission concluded, the FADM faces challenges in maintaining a coherent approach to human rights, and political leadership has not addressed the issue.

The FADM's inability to gain the support of local communities in Cabo Delgado allows insurgents to thrive, as they blend in with local populations and exploit the rough terrain and poor road access to avoid government forces. To overcome this, the FADM must improve its military doctrines and community support to effectively combat terrorism.