Mozambique declares end to insurgency after capturing last rebel camps

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Mozambique on Thursday declared that it has captured the last remaining training camps used by insurgent rebels in its northern Cabo Delgado province, signaling what officials are calling the end of a years-long insurgency.

Mozambique Chief of Defense Intelligence Ricardo Macuvele said the operation was successful thanks to the deployment of troops under the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique, which played a key role in defeating the insurgents.

Macuvele made the remarks during a visit to Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, where he met with Zambian Permanent Secretary for Defense Maambo Haamaundu.

"Zambia also helped us a lot to contain the situation, the, territory which you helped us recover from the terrorists; we still hold it and we have even captured the last training camps for the rebels," said Macuvele in a statement issued by the Zambian Defense Ministry on Thursday.

Haamaundu said Zambia was in solidarity with its counterpart state in combating terrorism and fighting transnational crimes, including human trafficking.