Veteran journalist Brezhnev Malaba revealed that the name of a Zimbabwean contract killer was being mentioned in the neighbouring country.
Said Malaba, “On a recent trip to Mozambique, I spoke to locals in Maputo about the growing threat of Islamic State-inspired armed insurgents in the north of that country.The govt there is quick to downplay the crisis, but Sadc can’t continue ignoring it. A Zim mercenary’s name keeps popping up.”
According to the Daily Maverick, Russian Wagner Group mercenaries pulled out of Mozambique in March after failing in its mission and was replaced by South Africa’s private security company Dyck Advisory Group, (DAG) based in South Africa and owned by former Colonel Dyck.
Dyck Advisory Group is reported to be operating three helicopters in Cabo Delgado northern coast, one Gazelle gunship, one Bell UH I Huey and one Bell 406 Long Ranger and one fixed-wing Diamond DA42. They joined another Gazelle and a Cessna Caravan fixed-wing personnel carrier which had arrived in Pemba.
Since 2017 there have been dozens of attacks in Mozambique, mainly focussed on the Cabo Delgado region, with hundreds killed – more than 900, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project. According to the Institute for Security Studies, the upsurge in brutal violence in northern Mozambique, including the beheadings of women and children, has sounded alarms that a violent jihadist movement is evolving.
According its website, the DAG directors and senior management have a long history of providing bespoke solutions having undertaken security-based operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Central African Republic, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique, for a variety of high profile clients and activities have included securing of Embassies, Airports, VVIP individuals, World Cup Cricket venues, government construction sites and Mines.
DAG also prides itself of having a large pool of ex-military personal from various nationalities to call upon, all with previous experience of undertaking security operations in hostile environments. Their security staff can be provided either armed or unarmed depending on the clients requirements and the operating environment.
