During his visit on 21st January 2022, Nyusi was received by the Mozambican government officials including the Governor of Cabo Delgado, Mr. Valige Taliabo Atuando; the Administrator of Palma Dictrict, Mr. João Buchil; the Permanent Secretary of Palma Mr. Zefa Alberto, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bernardino Raphael; Brig Gen Rui Jorge Mandofa, the Task Force Commander in Palma as well as the representatives of Rwanda Security Forces.

He met the Mozambican forces (FADM) and representatives of Rwanda Security Forces in Palma town and Afungi. Nyusi thanked the forces for the good work done in fighting terrorists and urged them to continue intensifying military operations wherever they are.

He praised the joint forces for their level of cooperation and collaboration in fighting the terrorists and urged them to maintain this spirit moving forward in order to completely defeat the terrorists.

Rwanda started the deployment of 1000 troops of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to Mozambique on 9th July 2021, to fight rebel groups linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The group sometimes calls themselves al-Shabaab, although they do not have known links with the Somali al-Shabaab.

The situation started worsening in October 2017 when armed extremists linked ISIL launched an insurgency in the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique.

Since then, Mozambique Defence Armed Forces have been battling the extremists while many civilians were displaced by the fighting.

The joint operations between Rwandan and Mozambican troops yielded big where different regions including Palma, Awasse, Mocímboa Da Praia, Quionga, Tete, Maputo, Nhica Do Rovuma, Quelimane, Chinda and Mumu were seized from rebels.

As at 5th September 2021, Rwandan and Mozambican troops who were joined by the military mission of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had captured almost all areas of Cabo Delgado Province where the remaining work was predominantly about launching offensives to quell enemy pockets from their hideouts and help displaced citizens to return to their homes.

Rwanda initially sent 1000 troops to Cabo Delgado honoring the request of Mozambique to support efforts to quell terrorist groups.

The troops had increased to nearly 2000 by the end of the year 2021.

Nyusi thanked the forces for the good work done in fighting terrorists.

Rwandan troops have helped Mozambicans to recapture different regions occupied by insurgents.