Air war analysis MozambiqueA dirty little war in espite having total air supremacy, elsewhere, and who has communicated directly – the Wagner Group has undertaken numerous mobility on the ground, excellent with this writer, suggested that by moving into actions against an enemy that is entrenched in D communications and access to a northern Mozambique in force, the so-called the rugged jungle and mountain-clad terrain range of sophisticated hardware – including Islamic State (IS) is only a step away from fringing southern Tanzania. That much we know. drones and some of the best squad weapons becoming fully active in South Africa. He said: What we do not is how many guerrilla fighters on the planet – a sophisticated Russian “This radical movement already has a strong there are, how they are able to bring their mercenary force has been driven out of northern presence that includes military training bases.” weapons – possibly including man-portable Mozambique after only months of mixing it with Having entered the conflict at the behest of air defence systems (MANPADS) – into the a tough jihadist force that has Somali roots. It Russia’s President Putin last October – and country (likely through Tanzania) and how many goes much further. A confidential report by a enjoying complete dominance in the air with foreign fighters there are within their ranks. senior United Nations official who has served an array of Hind helicopter gunships as well as It’s also not clearly understood how this low- in Afghanistan, both Sudans, Yemen and Mi-8/17 Hip medium twin-turbine transporters key insurgency managed to escalate into an efficient, elite combat force under the very nose of the Mozambique Army. More to the point, this is the first time in recent years that a group with all the advantages and possible backing of one of the major powers has been driven out of a Third World conflagration by force of arms, despite enjoying complete control of the air. What did emerge in the few months late last year when the Russian mercenary force was active in a vast area adjoining the Tanzanian frontier, is that the latter totally underestimated the ability of a ragged bunch of bush fighters to counter its every move. The jihadi force was better mobilised and a lot better focused than the opposition. Also, it is clear that the jihadis’ intelligence was superior, as every thrust made by the mercenaries and their government allies was met with the kind of hard-line A rare view inside a Mozambique Air Force hangar at Maputo reveals examples of bush tactics that cost lives. Additionally, the the Cessna 172, PA-34 Seneca, FTB.337G region is largely Muslim, with the insurgents Milirole and R40S Festival. Pit Weinert enjoying the support – most of it clandestine Collection – of the local population. The truth is that the majority of northerners regard the Forças 74 // May 2020 #386 www.Key.Aero A guerrilla war in northern Mozambique has seen Russian private military company the Wagner Group tasked with taking the initiative from a committed jihadist force. But it has not gone Mozambique well, as Al J Venter explains. Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique (FADM, Above: A specially prepared artwork of one of the Russian-made Mi-8AMTSh ‘Hips’ (a variant exported as the Mozambique Defence Armed Forces) operating Mi-171Sh) that were delivered to Mozambique to fight the jihadis in the northern Cabo Delgado region. It is armed with a B-8V pod for S-8K unguided rockets of 80mm calibre. Tom Cooper in the region – largely staffed by southerners Below: A ‘Hip’ that crashed in the embattled north of the country in April last year. The colour scheme of this – with suspicion; in some areas populated by helicopter seems to match those operated by Russian PMCs, although it is an older Mi-8 model assigned to the the Makonde tribe, the FADM is viewed with Mozambique Air Force. The circumstances of this loss are unclear. All photos Al J Venter Collection unless stated downright hostility. Similarly, they have tarred the Russian newcomers with a distinct colonial brush, many of the locals becoming vocal about having ‘foreigners’ subjugate them, as did the Portuguese before the latter were driven out in 1974. By then, Mozambique had been a Portuguese colony for almost five centuries. A deadly conflict In the interim there have been quite a few Russians killed. Within a week of arriving in the region early last October, seven Wagner Group mercenaries were killed in two separate incidents involving IS-linked insurgents in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province. This was followed shortly afterwards with the killing of Wagner Group soldiers in a road ambush in the region’s Macomia district. Five more Russian mercenaries were ambushed on October 27 in the region’s Muidumbe district, a reliable FADM source confirmed. According to several sources in Pemba, the biggest town in the area, four of the Russians were shot dead at the scene of one attack before being beheaded; the fifth was wounded and later died at the local Mueda district hospital. Pjotr Sauer of The Moscow Times described the ambush: “The attackers first set up barricades along the road, and when the FADM vehicles arrived, they began firing and then beheaded www.Key.Aero #386 May 2020 // 75 Air war analysis Above: Although of poor quality, this is among only a few images showing the two former French Army Gazelles in Pemba, capital of the Cabo Delgado province, last August. The two helicopters were reportedly operated by Frontier Services Group (FSG), a private military company headquartered in Hong Kong. Left: A Mi-24 gunship – an earlier version of the type deployed by the Wagner Group in Mozambique. A combination of ‘Hind’ helicopter gunships and ‘Hip’ medium transporters has ensured the group’s aerial dominance, although the situation on the ground has been much more complex. the victims and burned the vehicle.” Significantly, ago as an organisation called Moran Security, tribal people, the majority non-Muslims. The there was helicopter top cover available for which provides maritime security and other FADM was unable to cope, and the Maputo these actions, but the dense jungle canopy services, and it is claimed that it has since government asked Moscow for help, with limited the efficacy of the Hinds. Notable too, spawned numerous subsidiaries, including the promises of rich gas concessions in the region was the reluctance of the Russian Embassy in Sewa Security Services, the official bodyguard as recompense. It was then that Putin tasked Mozambique to respond to a request from Sauer of the president of the Central African Republic. the Wagner Group – or what the Times has for comment, although the embassy did advise called ‘Putin’s private army’ – with the job. Sputnik, a Russian government news agency, Terrorist connections Roughly 200 Russian private military that it had no knowledge of the incidents. Mozambique’s jihadi insurgency – a bitter, contractors – backed by several Hind helicopter The man believed to be behind the Wagner protracted struggle in a totally undeveloped gunships as well as a number of Mi-171Sh Group, a strictly mercenary force (although said tropical region – has lasted three years so far, aircraft (which have the same performance to include troops from Russia’s regular army) with the guerrilla force active in this gas-rich as the Mi-8MTV, but with more sophisticated is Yevgeny Prigozhin, the former owner of a region now known to be linked to IS. Some systems fitted) – first started operating along chain of hotdog stands in St Petersburg who of its members call themselves al-Shabaab the Tanzanian frontier, and only later moved into went on to become, allegedly, chef and food (because of their training in Somalia), although the interior of the Cabo Delgado province. Air taster for President Putin – to check that dishes it is known officially as Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a and ground forces were designated to operate had not been poisoned; quite a career leap (ASWJ), a name often used by Sunni jihadist in close co-operation with the FADM. During for a man who had served almost a decade in groups. There have been numerous similar initial ground and air strikes, the combined jail for robbery and other offences. It has also incidents since late 2017, coinciding with a brutal forces bombed insurgent bases in several areas, been alleged that, under Putin’s protection, terror campaign seemingly directed mainly at pushing them into the remote interior, but the Prigozhin was awarded a string of lucrative unarmed civilians. Gruesome photographs of insurgents retaliated by launching attacks on state contracts that apparently went towards mutilated and beheaded bodies have circulated several government military bases and dozens bankrolling a private army – the Wagner Group on social media. The death toll of this insurgency on both sides were killed. Following the arrival – which has so far seen action in Syria, Libya currently stands at about a thousand, with many of the Russians, IS quickly reinforced its units and more recently, the Central African Republic more injured or displaced. Islamic State has in Mozambique by rushing in ‘volunteers’ and Mozambique. With new contracts signed, so far claimed responsibility for dozens of the from other East African countries, notably it will soon also see action against Boko Haram attacks, which raises questions as to whether Somalia; this soon led to an intensified series radicals in Nigeria and Cameroon. Uganda is ASWJ is the local affiliate of IS. The consensus in of guerrilla onslaughts. As one observer now also a client of the group, which will be Pemba is that this jihadist group may be claiming commented: “The presence of Wagner created active in unsettled areas adjoining Rwanda and credit to boost its public stature, especially an exponential increase in incidents – it was the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.