SAMIM was deployed on 15 July 2021 following its approval by the Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Maputo, Republic of Mozambique on 23 June 2021.[1]
On 2 January 2022, at a summit of SADC Summit of Heads of State Malawi's capital Lilongwe, agreement was given to extend the troop deployment in Mozambique to help the government fight an Islamic State-linked insurgency.[6]
Lesotho Defence Force has deployed 125 personnel to the mission.[11] The contingent was airlifted by an Angolan Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 transport to the mission.[12]
An advance element of the South African Special Forces deployed to Pemba via South African Air Force C-130 Aircraft, the main body and equipment were deployed by road. Botswana Defence Force Commandos also deployed via Botswana Defence Force C-130 to Pemba, the main body of equipment deployed by road to Northern Mozambique. Lesotho Defence Force personnel and equipment were airlifted to Northern Mozambique by Angolan transport aircraft.[16]
Operations
The SADC states also began with their offensive in August 2021, with SAMIM troops becoming involved in combat operations for the first time.[17] On 24 August rebels reportedly ambushed SAMIM troops in Naquitengue, near Mbau,.[18] On 28 August, SAMIM troops reportedly raided an insurgent position at Muera River, capturing equipment and documents.[17] In September 2021 SAMIM troops also began to deploy in Niassa Province; groups of insurgents were suspected of having retreated or otherwise relocated to Niassa.[19] Other bands of rebels were moving further south, away from the combat zone of the Messalo River.[20] These groups relocated to Quissanga and Macomia District, where the rebels began a series of attacks on local villages, massacring dozens of civilians.[20][21] SAMIM claimed to have captured the "Sheikh Ibrahim base" in northern Macomia District from rebels on 14 September.[21] 24 September a report from the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) reported that a Tanzanian soldier and 17 insurgents were killed in an attack on an insurgent base near Chitama, in southeastern Nangade district.[22] On 19 December Mozambique's defence minister claimed Mozambican and SAMIM soldiers killed ten insurgents after storming an ISIS camp in Cabo Delgado.[23] On 20 December 2021 A patrol consisting of South African Special Forces and Mozambican ground troops were ambushed by ISIS east of Chai village. A number of Mozambican soldiers as well as a single South African special forces operator were killed in the attack. Several other soldiers were injured. This marked the first death of a South African special forces operator in combat since the South African Border War.[23] On 5 February 2022 A patrol of Mozambican, Rwandan and SAMIM soldiers was ambushed near Nova Zambezia, Macomia district, resulting in a Mozambican soldier KIA and five insurgent attackers eliminated.[24] On 9 February 2022 a Botswana Defence Force soldier died in Mueda, Cabo Delgado Province Mozambique due to unnamed cause. In February the Zambia Air Force announced that it had deployed as single C-27 cargo plane to Pemba, Mozambique.[25] South Africa was reported to be deploying an entire battle group as part of its rotation, replacing largely its Special Forces Contingent[26]
9 February 2022: Sergeant Gosekwang Ngaka of the Botswana Defence Force Special Forces died in Mueda, Cabo Delgado Province Mozambique due to unnamed cause.[35]
