The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Contingent Advanced Team to Mozambique left the country for Cabo Delgado, Mozambique on Sunday.
According to LDF Public Affairs Officer Captain Sakeng Lekola, the Contingent Advanced Team mission comprises 12 soldiers including the Contingent Commander.
He said they left behind the other 113 members so that they would prepare for the main deployment of the team.
He said the remaining soldiers are expected to leave once Angola has provided the airlift for the military equipment that will be used in Mozambique.
He said Angola is not assisting LDF like most of Basotho believe, stressing that she will be implementing her pledge to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) of providing the airlift in this mission.
However, he said they cannot deny the fact that LDF does not have such equipment now but stressed that it has well-trained and skilled soldiers.
Earlier LDF Commander Lieutenant General Letsoela mentioned that the Contingent Advanced Party comprises 125 members with multi-dimensional skills and that they will focus on peace enforcement in Mozambique.
Meanwhile, speaking during the inspection of the contingent team on Friday, the Prime Minister said unfavourable conditions like high youth unemployment, hunger and diseases particularly the COVID-19 pandemic and slow economic recovery have had a disturbing effect on nations worldwide, saying this has enabled terror networks to exploit the situation by recruiting, radicalizing and financing illegal activities thereby creating a conducive environment to carry out acts of terror.
Dr Majoro, therefore, noted that as the SADC members state, Lesotho will join other SADC states in Mozambique to assist her combat terrorism and acts of violent extremism in Cabo Delgado where attacks were made to local communities, public works and foreign investments in this country.
He wished them well and urging them to make Lesotho and Basotho proud.
The contingent advanced party is expected to stay in Mozambique for a period of three months.
The deployment of Lesotho troops to Mozambique forms part of SADC support for Mozambique’s efforts in combating terrorism and acts of violent extremism orchestrated by non-state armed actors in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.
 
Source: LENA 12/08/2021