African nations to send troops to Mozambique
SOUTHERN African nations have approved the deployment of troops to Mozambique to help the country combat an escalating Islamic State-linked insurgency that threatens stability in the relatively peaceful region, the bloc's executive secretary said. The 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been grappling with how to respond to the conflict, which began in October 2017 and has since killed thousands on all sides. Almost 800,000 people have been displaced and the fighting has bought a $20 billion gas project led by oil giant Total to a grinding halt. SADC has approved the deployment of its standby force, Stergomena Lawrence…