The government has acquired two aircraft to reinforce operations in the fight against rebels in the north of the country, a Defense Ministry source announced.

The LET L-410 and CASACN295 aircraft have capacity for 17 and 30 people, respectively, and were acquired as part of a partnership between the Mozambican authorities and the South African defense company Paramount, said the commander of the Mozambican Air Force, Cândido Tirano, quoted today by the newspaper Notícias.

The aircraft are intended to transport passengers and cargo, and are "equipped to allow greater deployment capability of special forces," including paratroopers.

According to Cândido Tirano, among the advantages of these new aircraft for government forces is the ability to land on "unconventional runways and unprepared terrain."

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

The insurgency led to a military response a year ago with support from Rwanda and SADC, liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged in the south of the region and in neighboring Nampula province.

In five years, the conflict has made one million displaced people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and about 4,000 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.