André Mulungo, a Mozambican activist with the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD), questions the military agreements between Mozambique and Rwanda. At issue is the lack of information about this agreement, at a time when hundreds of soldiers have been discharged from the front without joining the army.

"It's contradictory when you have a President of the Republic traveling to Rwanda in a context in which there is talk of an agreement, which is supposed to be to reinforce the presence of the Rwandan military in Cabo Delgado, and while you're doing that you're disposing of your men internally, how is that possible?" asked André Mulungo, quoted by RFI.

Earlier this week, a group of around 300 demobilized soldiers denounced, in Nampula, that they had fought terrorism in Cabo Delgado and, after a year, had returned without any pay or reintegration into the army.

"As people who are dissatisfied with the system, there are risks. Firstly, because they are vulnerable and can easily be recruited by terrorist groups. But there is also the risk of these people organizing themselves into another group, which could be a threat to the state itself," the activist warns.

Regarding the 300 demobilized soldiers, the Ministry of Defence explained in an official statement that these were former military personnel in different conditions: "some went into the Availability Reserve after completing their military service, others voluntarily expressed their intention to leave the ranks, as provided for in the Military Service Law (Law no. 32/2009). There are also cases of individuals expelled for indiscipline, including desertion, under the Military Discipline Regulations (Decree-Law no. 1/2012)."

According to the statement, these ex-servicemen tried to return to the ranks, but without complying with the required legal procedures. "The Armed Forces, governed by laws and regulations, must fully comply with the legislation in force," the statement said.

(Photo DR)