By Melanie Aanyu,

President Museveni has said Uganda is open to deploying its troops to Mozambique to help in the fight against insurgents who have carried out devastating attacks in the far north of the country.

For over four years now, an Islamist insurgency in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique has carried out several attacks in a bid to establish an Islamic state in the northern part of the country.

Whereas they have no link with the Somali group, the militants in Mozambique locally known as Al-Shabab, have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.

Responding to questions from journalists on the occasion of the three day state visit by the Mozambican president Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President Museveni said indeed Uganda is providing some logistical support to Mozambique to fight the insurgents but noted if need be, UPDF would be deployed.

The president said right from the start of the insurgency, he was made aware of the problem but noted that Uganda decided to provide logistical support to Mozambique because he didn’t want to provide a few troops which he said would only be for showing off.

The Mozambican president noted that the terrorists have been attacking several areas in the Northern part of the country using machetes, knives and clubs.