Regional bloc holds off on military response to Mozambique insurgency

FILE PHOTO: Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi attends a signing ceremony following the talks with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia August 22, 2019. Sputnik/Alexey Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

MAPUTO (Reuters) - A bloc of southern African nations said on Thursday it will work to shore up Mozambique's security forces as they battle an escalating insurgency linked to Islamic State, but made no mention of proposals for a military intervention.

Members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), including neighbouring South Africa, have favoured the idea of regional military action as the violence has worsened and the threat to regional stability has grown.