The Chief of Land Forces in the Rwanda Defence Force, Maj. Gen. Vincent Nyakarundi, on Friday, March 13, 2026, briefed a contingent of soldiers and police officers preparing to deploy to Cabo Delgado Province in Mozambique to replace their colleagues serving in the counter-terrorism mission there.
The briefing took place at the Kami Military Training Centre. Nyakarundi was accompanied by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, CP Vincent B. Sano.
During the session, Maj. Gen. Nyakarundi reminded the contingent that their primary mission would be to protect civilians from terrorist activities. He urged them to represent Rwanda well by carrying out their duties professionally and maintaining disciplined conduct.
He emphasized the importance of teamwork, professionalism, and good behavior while on duty. Nyakarundi also encouraged them to remain committed and dedicated to their responsibilities, just as the previous Rwandan contingents deployed in the region have done.
Rwanda has maintained troops and police forces in Cabo Delgado since July 2021, following a bilateral agreement with Mozambique after the Mozambican government requested assistance to combat insurgent groups in the region.
Before Rwandan forces were deployed, Cabo Delgado had been heavily affected by extremist attacks since 2017, which killed more than 3,000 civilians and displaced about 800,000 people.
Since the deployment of Rwandan forces in 2021, the security situation has significantly improved. By the end of 2023, Mozambique announced that over 90% of Cabo Delgado Province had been stabilized, allowing many displaced residents to return to their homes.
