Africa-Press – Botswana. A Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldier stationed in Mozambique’s oil- and gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado took his own life on Sunday.
“Investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing,” said BDF spokesperson Colonel Magosi Moshagane.
His identity has not been revealed to allow his family to mourn in peace. It’s the second deadly incident involving Botswana soldiers in Cabo Delgado in a month.
In early December, a major in the BDF killed a female subordinate and injured another before turning the gun on himself.
Also in December, the first BDF soldier to die in combat in Mozambique was identified as Lance Corporal Zikamee Kamai.
He was killed by Sunnah Wal-Jamaah militants in Nkonga village in the Nangade district, Cabo Delgado.
In July 2021, Botswana sent its first contingent of 296 soldiers to Cabo Delgado to join the Southern African Development Community Standby Force.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana said at the send-off ceremony:
I am alive to the fact that you will be facing a deceptive enemy, which is likely to use asymmetric warfare, unconventional and underhand war tactics against you and the population you will be protecting.
“As professionals, you stand for much more than they do, and you must avoid emulating them and sinking to their level,” he added.
Since then, Botswana has sent two more contingents to Cabo Delgado.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
