Southern African nations agree to deploy forces to Mozambique - communique
JOHANNESBURG, June 23 (Reuters) - A bloc of southern African nations on Wednesday approved the deployment of troops to Mozambique to help the country combat a rapidly escalating Islamic State-linked insurgency in Mozambique that threatens stability in the relatively peaceful region, the bloc's executive secretary said.
The 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) had approved the deployment of its standby force, part of a regional defence pact, Stergomena Lawrence Tax said, reading out a communique following a meeting of the bloc's leaders in Mozambique's capital Maputo. (Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Toby Chopra)
