The Malawi Foreign Affairs Ministry has described as untrue, media reports that the country plans to send troops to neighbouring Mozambique.
Local reports had claimed President Lazarus Chakwera pledged during an extraordinary summit of the security organ of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that Malawi would deploy troops to help fight the Islamist insurgents in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.
“The ministry wishes to inform the general public that the social media message in which these claims were made is false and creates expectations contrary to the spirit of the Summit,” a government statement said.
The ministry of foreign affairs said the Southern African regional bloc discussed the insecurity in Mozambique but did not talk about the issue of sending troops.
Malawi said the reports were malicious and “insensitive to the security and diplomatic implications that can arise” from their publication.
Militants are currently operating in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region. The insurgency has led to at least 430,000 people fleeing their homes.