Three Rwandan soldiers were killed and six others wounded in an ambush in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province over the weekend, the Rwandan army confirmed on Tuesday.
The attack occurred on May 3, in an area long plagued by insurgent violence.
Rwanda had deployed around 1,000 personnel from its Defence Force (RDF) and National Police (RNP) to aid in stabilising the region, which has been battling a persistent insurgency since 2017.
Rwandan army spokesperson Ronald Rwivanga acknowledged the incident, stating that while such attacks are expected in a combat zone, the situation has been managed.
“The wounded soldiers are recovering well,” he added.
Cabo Delgado, a gas-rich province, has recently been the focal point of mounting assaults by militants linked to the Islamic State group.
The region has suffered years of violence that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced over a million people, and disrupted major infrastructure projects.
The ambush highlights the ongoing instability in the area, which has forced the suspension of a major gas exploration project by energy giant TotalEnergies.
The situation remains tense, with humanitarian concerns continuing to mount.