Three Rwandan soldiers were killed and six others wounded in an ambush over the weekend in Mozambique’s conflict-hit Cabo Delgado province, according to a statement from the Rwandan military on Tuesday.
Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) spokesperson Ronald Rwivanga confirmed the May 3 attack, noting it occurred in an active combat zone where the country has maintained a military presence since 2021.
“It is true our soldiers in Mozambique were attacked in an ambush, in which three were killed,” Rwivanga said. “It is a combat zone and some of these incidences are expected, but the situation was handled.” He added that the injured soldiers are recovering well.
Rwanda deployed around 1,000 troops and police officers to Mozambique in response to a prolonged insurgency in the northern region. Cabo Delgado, rich in natural gas, has faced a wave of militant violence in recent years, leading to thousands of deaths and the displacement of over a million people.
The ongoing instability has also forced the suspension of major development projects, including a multibillion-dollar gas initiative by TotalEnergies.