HANNES WESSELS
I suppose it is the mindset-madness of the ‘woke world’ we find ourselves in that has come into play recently here in southern Africa, but we are presently witness to a gruesome tragedy playing out around the town of Palma in Cabo Delgado province of northern Mozambique where the killing fields and beaches are littered with the headless corpses and mutilated bodies of innocent civilians. One of the reasons this has happened is because white people, no matter the circumstances, are always wrong.
The conflict has been ongoing for almost four years and the fact that it has spun out of control is much to do with the fact that the impoverished populace have become increasingly resentful of a delinquent Frelimo government operating from a capital nearly 3,000 kms away that only shows its face in the area when there is booty to plunder. Added to this, there are multiple reports of government officials at every level including the security forces, being involved in all the smuggling rackets from heroin, to precious stones and ivory. As a result, the country’s army is a shambles and unfit to confront a well organised, well funded and ruthlessly aggressive insurgency which has morphed into a Jihadist militia known as Al Sunnah wa Jama’ah aiming at leading a secession and the establishment of a Sharia-law caliphate. Reports suggest logistical and tactical support is coming from experienced ISIS operatives and funding from Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.
As is normal, regional neighbours including South Africa and the AU (African Union) have done little other than exacerbate the global warming problem with the huge amount of hot air they have spewed into the atmosphere at their regular talkfests, and proved as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike in providing any answers. The South African National Defence Force, once the most potent military machines on the continent, is broken and probably beyond repair. Its capacity to mount a meaningful intervention is highly questionable.
Against this backdrop, with the situation deteriorating, the Mozambique’s chief of police, reached out last year to former Rhodesian/Zimbabwean Parachute Battalion commander, Colonel Lionel Dyck. Dyck who was, at the time, successfully engaged in anti-poaching operations in the south of the country. Using ex Rhodesian and South African pilots along with tough young men with little or no military background, their game-scouts and dogs, they were fighting a low-level counter-insurgency war.
“Our chaps were obviously being paid but these are not hired guns wanting to kill people for gain, they were motivated by a burning desire to save the country’s wildlife from annihilation at the hands of hunters hired by ruthless crime syndicates looking to harvest body-parts of value in China. It is open season in Mozambique; they kill everything from pangolins to parrots, to leopard, lion and elephants. While engaged in our anti-poaching role we have stopped the export of millions of dollars worth of rhino horn and curtailed the illegal hunting of these animals. We have also stopped some of the huge Chinese-run logging operations that have been devastating the country’s hardwood forests and ended at least one large illegal charcoal making concern. Unfortunately, none of these actions is possible without resorting to aggressive tactics using skilled men who are tough, resourceful and brave. When the Mozambique government approached me for assistance against the northern insurgency, I took the same tactical blueprint, personnel and equipment into the fray in Cabo Delgado.”
Dyck then went to war with very little, against a well armed enemy. With one helicopter having been shot down and destroyed, he was left with two Gazelle gun-ships flying, two ‘Bathawk’ microlights with front-guns, and an old Allouette armed with a 12.7 DshK and two fixed wing aircraft. With a total compliment of less than 30 men, he has been working with almost no ground-forces and his intelligence gathering capability is very limited.
“Our strike capability has been almost entirely airborne,” he says. “We have attacked enemy camps from the air and we are using aircraft to interdict their supplies which are being moved on land and sea. In this process we suspect we have hit the drug smugglers hard, and this is a billion dollar business that enriches people in a number of countries at every level. I believe we have been successful in cutting down on all the criminal activity, provided protection for civilians living in towns and up to a point, in rural settlements and slowing down the ultimate aim towards a breakaway state. Considering how little we have had to work with I think we have punched way above our weight.”
In this context came the bombshell Amnesty International report released at the beginning of March which included the following:
“According to 53 witnesses who spoke to Amnesty International, DAG operatives have fired machine guns from helicopters and dropped hand grenades indiscriminately into crowds of people, as well as repeatedly fired at civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and homes.”
“By firing indiscriminately into crowds, attacking civilian infrastructure, and failing to distinguish between military and civilian targets, they have clearly violated international humanitarian law. They must now be held accountable for their actions.”
This was manna from heaven for the international media and received plenty of traction from the South African press which is dominated by white Guardianista wannabees who appear seized more with showing the country’s ruling elite how much they too hate their white countrymen than trying to report fairly based on the facts. There were immediate calls for the local authorities to investigate and prosecute Dyck and his men.
The bottom line was the world could heave a collective sigh of relief; the venerated humanitarians from Amnesty International had identified the villains and lo and behold, just as is always the case, the bad-guys are white, heterosexual, Christians; and even better; they are of Rhodesian and South African provenance. Everyone cheered including the Al Sunnah militants who then limbered up for the attack on Palma which soon went in and the slaughter of the innocents began.
Despite being unwanted and preparing to leave the country, the only people who could come to the rescue of the besieged in Palma were the DAG airmen and despite the opprobrium heaped upon them they responded with selfless alacrity. Often under fire, they flew tirelessly and bravely through the weekend providing the sole lifeline and saved well over 200 people from almost certain death.
Mrs. Meryl Knox, mother of Adrian Nel who was killed concurred with Amnesty International but pointed her finger at different culprits: “Crimes against humanity have been committed here – horrific crimes against humanity.” Referring to the DAG aircrews she said, “Thank goodness for them otherwise we wouldn’t have anyone left there.”
Lionel’s son Max who is on the ground pending the groups exit from the country says the situation remains, “incredibly volatile. However we are still flying. We are incredibly busy. The people we have got to have been trapped in different locations around the town, including lodges and compounds. When we get word of locations, we go and search for them.”
One survivor airlifted from the Amarula Hotel in Palma while it was under attack had this to say: “I was in the middle of this attack. The hotel was completely surrounded, under attack by mortar and machine guns and these guys came in, cleared the perimeter enough to get four chopper loads out, 23 of us, I was on the last chopper out. They had to stop flying due to lack of fuel and daylight. This is bullshit what they are saying about DAG, they are absolute heroes, I owe my life to them. Now they being fired on the 6th April; who is going to replace them? The Mozambique military were bloody awful, they just ran…as they always do.
“If it were not for us,” says Lionel, “I have no doubts hundreds more people would have been murdered. About 500 people have been killed and it need not have happened. I didn’t see any of the Amnesty International people who are so concerned about civilians there!
“Most of what is in the Amnesty International report is totally fabricated. Every action we have taken is documented and recorded with GPS. Every flight has a Mozambique general on board who gives the authorisation to open fire. Even with permission from the generals we have documented situations where our pilots and gunners declined to do so because they were unsure of the targets.
“The AI report was a desk-top study and a hatchet job done for reasons that alarm and trouble me. The fact is we were stopping the massive trade in contraband and drugs; politicians and people in high places were losing revenue; I believe big money came to the fore and we were to be got rid of. The Americans, for reasons best known to themselves, also pressured the Mozambicans to dismiss us. Everyone wants us gone and nobody has any plan to fill the void. All those involved in motivating for the termination of our contracts can take a bow for playing a key role in facilitating the Palma atrocities. God help the people of Cabo; all I can say is we tried our best.”
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The situation in Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique should not only be a concern to the AU and SADC but to all freedom loving countries in the world.
ISIL is a cancer, slowly but steadfastly spreading its roots from Iraq, Levant, Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, Somalia, DRC now Mozambique. It also has a presence in India, Algeria, Iraq, Tunisia, Caucasas and Saudi Arabia, Kenya and Tanzania.
The question is what are their ambitions in Mozambique. Does this cancer start spreading down to Pemba and further south? And how soon?
The AU and SADC have been deafeningly silent in their condemnation and inaction.
The response from SADC and AU should have been swift and strong. Instead nothing happened. If DAG had not been present we would have seen a lot more deaths.
This scene is reminiscent of the SIMBA rebels in the Congo in the 1960’s. The only difference then was Mike Hoare’s mercenaries helped save the day to some extent. DAG has great leadership but not enough equipment or men and no contract. Today is their D Day…departure day.
Interesting if the French will get involved…Americans have lost their cajones….watching this space.
Spot on that man. So true.
I was in Pemba in 2019 early 2020 conducting security training for an Aussie mining client, we received photos, security alerts and intel reports from the old boy network up Country. Even then these toe rags were mutilating bodies and attacking Anadarko convoys. Control Risk have setup a permanent base in a prominent hotel in Pemba and the Americans are looking to do the same. The reason why they want Dyke out is to take over. You will now see French PMC’s, American and British PMC’s taking over for Total, Exxon and others. Maybe even Chinese PMC’s going by what I witnessed in Niger the same year. Don’t worry lads, the yanks will hire us Rhodies and Saffa’s to actually do the work as we are cheap and know what we are doing. Eeben has phoenixed Executive Outcomes but unless an American firm contracts EO as a subcontractor I cant see them getting the deal direct, or maybe Mann and Spencer will get the gig and hire us that way?. Either way, it wont be Americans running around the bush up there.
Good stuff, as always Hannes. I am sure we have not heard the last of this disgraceful shambles from you. I look forward to more of your insights which I always find more informative that most of the rubbish we get from other media.
Thanks Rob, good to hear.
[…] 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 Mozambique Mayhem; Where Wokists Meet Jihadists […]
The Americans are now wet rags and have no care for third world africa and rightfully so as they always labasted for helping.They bowing to china and will have to get used to that. China will continue to help it’s self and completely rape all of Africa of its resources with pennys paid in the pocket of our African leaders. The arab countries will foliow suit and the afrcians will get stuffed as always. There is no moral cander to improve or defend and whites will be blamed by groups infitrated by arabs such as amnisty international.
Thanks for your cutting insight Hannes.
Tragic that Amnesty International seek to so shamelessly denigrate Lionel Dyck & DAG.
Thank you DAG. I had friends in that last 150 that came out. You read it and read it right, saw the writing on the wall.
They are alive this morning because of your actions. Thank you.
Thank you Marianne I will pass this on to Lionel.
Hi Hannes
This month, Mocambique – next month ??? At least, geographically it is potentially containable – as you would know only too well, any bombshell from this point and what it would do to its neighbours.
Thought you might be interested to see this article posted onto one of my Zim human rights WhatsApps – worth sending your article to Mavhinga ?
[11:49 am, 03/04/2021] +263 77 677 7641: SADC, AU need to urgently help Mozambique protect Cabo Delgado civilians
A failure to act on developments in the town of Palma in northern Mozambique will have dire consequences for the region, by Dewa Mavhinga
Director, Southern Africa
Mozambique says it is trying to help civilians forced to flee The March 25 attack by an Islamist armed group linked to the Islamic State (ISIS), in the gas-rich town of Palma in northern Cabo Delgado province. The government urgently needs help from the Southern African Development Community and the African Union.
The attack by the Ansar al-Sunna group killed dozens of civilians, wounded many more, and caused mass flight.
Mozambique’s Defense Ministry spokesperson, Omar Saranga, said in a statement on Sunday that the military was trying to rescue civilians caught up in the violence. Mozambican authorities should move swiftly to protect civilians and take all the steps they can to ensure that those responsible for these atrocities are brought to justice.
The attack began hours after Mozambique’s government and the French oil and gas company Total announced the gradual resumption of work on the Afungi industrial project, near Palma, citing an improvement in security conditions. Total had suspended activities and evacuated non-essential staff from the Afungi site in January after a series of insurgent attacks nearby.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, an estimated 1.3 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection in the three northern provinces of Mozambique—Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula—due to attacks by the group, that began in Cabo Delgado in October 2017. The UN said that nearly 670,000 people were internally displaced in Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula by the end of last year with more than 570 violent incidents recorded in 2020 alone.
The group, also known as al-Shabab in Mozambique but not related to the Somalia group, announced last year that it aims to turn the oil-rich region into a caliphate. It has attacked villages, carried out summary executions, looted, destroyed civilian property and infrastructure, including schools and health centers, and seized the strategic port of Mocimboa da Praia.
Human Rights Watch and other groups have also documented abuses by government security forces during operations against the insurgents, including indiscriminate use of force, killings, kidnappings, arbitrary detention, and ill-treatment of detainees. No one has been held to account for these abuses.
The rise in horrific attacks since October 2017 raises concerns that the attacks may spread to other provinces in Mozambique and neighboring countries. This makes it imperative for the SADC and AU to take urgent measures to help Mozambique protect civilians and end the abuses. The SADC should immediately act by providing humanitarian aid to the affected people and training for security forces tasked with protecting people in Cabo Delgado and elsewhere in the country, in accordance with human rights standards.
As the current SADC chairperson, Mozambique’s president, Filipe Nyusi, should tap into regional support to ensure civilian protection against attacks and to restore security in Cabo Delgado. South Africa’s Department of International Relations, reacting to the latest deadly attack in Palma, tweeted that South Africa stands ready to work with the government of Mozambique in pursuit of lasting peace and stability. Mozambican authorities should take up the offer.
The SADC Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit in November “noted with concern” the atrocities in the region, particularly in Cabo Delgado province and expressed continued SADC solidarity with Mozambique. The Summit directed the finalization of a comprehensive regional response and support to…
I am getting your notifications again after your site was blocked. Maybe someone was trying to block you? Thank you. The world has gone mad, surely the people who enable this will one day get bitten.? I hope so. Life has always been cheap in Africa , more so now days. It is a pity the Arabs get away with this sort of stuff, 911 to ? , as Bush wanted compensation from them, but nothing happened, it just died away until forgotten? Thank you for your time and efforts in sending these notifications, it is greatly appreciated .
Thanks for your support Don.
The big oil barons will get some western army suckers in there to fight the zealots, not giving a squat about the locals, only their oil. Reflections of Rhodesia where nobody counts….only the raw materials and the bankers.
Great article Hannes. Thank you for bringing this in to the public domain.
We all know on who,s payroll the world media is. Its happening everywhere there is conflict.
Hannes,
Your writing is characterized throughout by a sense of being on the ground yourself and your efforts to glean accurate information from DAG make for another compelling article.
For those of us that understand the geopolotical storm that is brewing in that part of the world, particularly in relation to the value of gas reserves, I’m afriad that all we can do is watch how it unfolds.
Diplomats at the highest level will be watching the region and if the Biden administration continues with its embarressing foreign policy that rattled the Chinese cage recently, then the entire Western world will have to stay clear and, they will.
As for the ‘woke’ lot…I’m well aware that my upcoming memoirs may not go down well with the woke generation. I’m not in the least bit worried about upsetting a portion of society who go on about idealistic crap and are totally unaware of what is really happening on the frontline.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks Tug. I’m not holding my breath for the Americans!
Lionel Dyck is one of the toughest men in Africa. He has a reputation of success like no other on the Continent.
He would never fire onto civilians while he has an aggressive enemy to engage.
He has no peer in the field of military leadership and my only query is why is he still only a Colonel. He would be the best Commander of any army in Africa, including South Africa if he was only given the chance.
I am an ex-Selous Scout and worked for him at Minetec in 1996/7. I wish I was in a position to go and fight for him in Northern Mozambique today.
Bob McChlery
Kenton on Sea
South Africa.
Our hearts go out to you all. Thank you for doing your very best without thanks. Good has to prevail over evil. When will the worlds eyes open to all the attrocities.
Great article….faught with LD and if nothing he is honourable but ruthless in the battle field – so AI claims are just woke BS. Problem as always no accountability for their false reporting. It won’t be long before Mocambique start demanding the US, Brits and French come to bail them out especially with Total interests at stake. Woeful, incompetent and corrupt – all precursors to the disaster that is unfolding. Mocambique has only itself to blame as does rest of Africa!! And, the West just falls for it time and time again.