Renamo, the largest opposition party, yesterday questioned the European Union's (EU) support for Rwanda and considered that Mozambique's peace and sovereignty are "totally threatened" due to armed violence in the north of the country.

"More than ever, our peace and sovereignty are totally threatened by the horrors of terrorism in the northern zone," said Ossufo Momade, the party's president, during the fourth ordinary session of Renamo's National Council in Maputo.

For Ossufo Momade, the armed attacks in Cabo Delgado make Mozambique a country that is "permanently insecure" and "far from achieving its economic independence", noting that the violence occurs "precisely where there is the biggest natural resource exploitation project".

Renamo questioned the "millionaire support" given by the European Union (EU) to Rwanda to support Mozambican troops in Cabo Delgado, considering it to be evidence that Mozambican sovereignty is "severely threatened".

The European Council has made 20 million euros available for the Rwandan force deployed in Mozambique.

Ossufo Momade questioned Rwanda's "legitimacy" in receiving "support in the name of Mozambicans", saying that the situation is the "height of the capture and alienation of the state" in Mozambique.

"Literally, to the sadness of us all, the country is sold out," said the president of Mozambique's largest opposition party.

The province of Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed insurgency for five years, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near the gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged in the south of the region and in neighboring Nampula province.

The conflict has already displaced one million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and caused around 4,000 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project. (Lusa)