Mozambique - Revision history

Admin1: /* Republic of Mozambique */

2025-12-27T00:38:51Z

Republic of Mozambique

Admin1: /* Republic of Mozambique */

2025-12-27T00:36:36Z

Republic of Mozambique

Admin1: /* Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces */

2025-12-26T23:22:17Z

Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces

Admin1 at 23:19, 26 December 2025

2025-12-26T23:19:23Z

Admin1 at 23:13, 26 December 2025

2025-12-26T23:13:50Z

Admin1: /* Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces */

2025-12-26T20:13:25Z

Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces

Admin1: /* Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces */

2025-12-26T16:54:48Z

Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces

Admin1: /* Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces */

2025-12-26T16:53:09Z

Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces

Admin1: /* Republic of Mozambique */

2025-12-26T16:44:42Z

Republic of Mozambique

Admin1: /* Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces */

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Camouflage Patterns of the Mozambique Armed Forces

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 == Republic of Mozambique ==
-Ths nation is today known as the Republic of Mozambique ''(República de Moçambique).'' Migrations of Bantu-speaking people from the 1st through 5th centuries CE populated most of the region, establishing agricultural communities in the interior, and societies based on fishing towards the coast. In later years, the arrival of Arab traders brought an abundance of new products, technologies and ideas, and a desire for gold and slaves. From around 1500, Portuguese merchants began arriving in Mozambique, establishing small trading settlements and forts along the coast and displacing many of the Arab coastal establishments. Expanding their influence to the interior, the Portuguese encountered Arab resistance around 1698 and retreated south, where they were forced to compete with British and French trading interests. Nevertheless, Portugal solidified its hold on the Overseas Province of Mozambique by shifting much of the administrative duties over to large, private companies. With British financing, these companies established ports, roads, and railroads to the interior and neighboring countries, mostly with incredibly cheap or forced local labor.
+The Republic of Mozambique ''(República de Moçambique)'' is an East African nation bordering the Indian Ocean, originally populated by migrations of Bantu-speaking people from the 1st through 5th centuries CE, establishing agricultural communities in the interior, and societies based on fishing towards the coast. In later centuries, the arrival of Arab traders brought an abundance of new products, technologies and ideas, and a desire for gold and slaves. From around 1500, Portuguese merchants began arriving in Mozambique, establishing small trading settlements and forts along the coast and displacing many of the Arab coastal establishments. Expanding their influence to the interior, the Portuguese encountered Arab resistance around 1698 and retreated south, where they were forced to compete with British and French trading interests. Nevertheless, Portugal solidified its hold on the Overseas Province of Mozambique by shifting much of the administrative duties over to large, private companies. With British financing, these companies established ports, roads, and railroads to the interior and neighboring countries, mostly with incredibly cheap or forced local labor.
 By the early 20th century, however, the Portuguese government labored towards greater control over its colonial overseas possessions and did not renew the companies' concessions. In the 1950s, the status of Mozambique changed from colony to overseas province, and in the early 1970s it became a non-sovereign state. Despite the Portuguese policy of assimilation and a greater degree of administrative automony, however, the push for universal African independence reached the nation in the early 1960s. This manifested primarily in the ''Frente de Libertação de Moçambique'' or FRELIMO (Liberation front of Mozambique), a Marxist-Leninist political party which organized an armed guerilla movement to wrest control away from the Portuguese. From 1964 until 1974, European and African units of the Portuguese Armed Forces effectively held the guerilla army at bay, despite FRELIMO's support from both the [[USSR]] and [[China|Communist China]]. The Colonial War (which Portugal was fighting concurrently in [[Angola]] and [[Guinea-Bissau|Portuguese Guinea]] as well) eventually took its toll on the European nation, and in April 1974 when a military junta wrested control of the government from the nation's ''Estado Novo'' regime, liberation for the province was not away. On 25 June 1975, Mozambique became independent.

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 By the early 20th century, however, the Portuguese government labored towards greater control over its colonial overseas possessions and did not renew the companies' concessions. In the 1950s, the status of Mozambique changed from colony to overseas province, and in the early 1970s it became a non-sovereign state. Despite the Portuguese policy of assimilation and a greater degree of administrative automony, however, the push for universal African independence reached the nation in the early 1960s. This manifested primarily in the ''Frente de Libertação de Moçambique'' or FRELIMO (Liberation front of Mozambique), a Marxist-Leninist political party which organized an armed guerilla movement to wrest control away from the Portuguese. From 1964 until 1974, European and African units of the Portuguese Armed Forces effectively held the guerilla army at bay, despite FRELIMO's support from both the [[USSR]] and [[China|Communist China]]. The Colonial War (which Portugal was fighting concurrently in [[Angola]] and [[Guinea-Bissau|Portuguese Guinea]] as well) eventually took its toll on the European nation, and in April 1974 when a military junta wrested control of the government from the nation's ''Estado Novo'' regime, liberation for the province was not away. On 25 June 1975, Mozambique became independent.
-The new government, under the leadership of Samora Machel, would lend its assistance to a number of other revolutionary insurgent movements, notably the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) operating in [[Rhodesia]], and the African National Congress (ANC) from [[South Africa]]. In turn, the governments of Rhodesia and South Africa sponsored and supported an anti-Communist paramilitary movement called ''Resistência Nacional Moçambicana'' (Mozambique National Resistance) or RENAMO. Founded in 1975, RENAMO guerillas would wage a continuous civil war against the government of Mozambique from 1977 until 1992, when peace talks and movements towards a multi-party political system based on capitalism sponsored by the country's new president Joaquim Chissano brought an end to hostilities. With more than 1.7 million people displaced during the ten year civil war, it took nearly three years for the majority of these people to be repatriated.
+The new government, under the leadership of Samora Machel, would lend its assistance to a number of other revolutionary insurgent movements, notably the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) operating in [[Rhodesia]], and the African National Congress (ANC) from [[South Africa]]. In turn, the governments of Rhodesia and South Africa sponsored and supported an anti-Communist paramilitary movement called ''Resistência Nacional Moçambicana'' (Mozambique National Resistance) or RENAMO. Founded in 1975 and supported by South Africa (and by Rhodesia until 1980), RENAMO guerillas would wage a continuous civil war against the government of Mozambique from 1977 until 1992, when peace talks and movements towards a multi-party political system based on capitalism sponsored by the country's new president Joaquim Chissano brought an end to hostilities. With more than 1.7 million people displaced during the ten year civil war, it took nearly three years for the majority of these people to be repatriated. RENAMO would renew its campaign against the government from 2013 to 2019, although at a much lower intensity than during the Mozambique Civil War.
-Initially formed in 1975 from elements of the armed wing of FRELIMO, the ''Forças Populares de Libertação de Moçambique'' (FPLM), the early armed forces were called ''Forças Armadas de Moçambique'' (FAM) and remained so throughout the years of internal struggle against RENAMO. Following the General Peace Agreement in August 1994, a new armed forces were formed by integrating FAM with RENAMO personnel that wished to remain in the armed forces. The new entity, the ''Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique'' or FADM, comprises the Army, Air Force, and Navy, with just over 11,000 active duty personnel. The ''Forças Locais'' (local forces) were formed as community-based militias in 2018, primarily in Cabo Delgado province, as a defence against Islamist and jihadist insurgents. In addition, the ''Polícia da República de Moçambique'' are the national agency responsible for law enforcement and internal security, and function under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior. The ''Serviço Cívico de Moçambique'' (SCM) or Civil Service is an alternative option to military service and is primarily concerned with civic programs, although there is a paramilitary element as well.
+Since 2017, both the Islamic State and Al-Shebaab have supported an insurgency in the Cabo Delgado province waged by Ansar al-Sunna (أنصار السنة), which has professed a desire to create an Islamist State within the borders of Mozambique. Ansar al-Sunna is considered an affiliate of Al-Shebaab, and in fact many of its members are immigrants from other nations in East Africa. The insurgent group has been accused by prominent NGOs of murdering civilians, as well as employing child soldiers.
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 [[File:moz-lizard2.png|200px]]
-* Circa 1999, lizard pattern of the FADM changed dramatically, at least for certain branches. Although still obviously inspired by the original Portuguese m63 design, the new version featured a much different color palette, perhaps more suitable to arid regions of the country. Produced in Asia for export specifically to the FADM, during the very early period of the Afghanistan War the [[Afghanistan|Northern Alliance]] also used this pattern (although in a completely different uniform style). This pattern continued to be worn by Army personnel until around 2015-2016.
+* Circa 1999, lizard pattern of the FADM changed dramatically, at least for certain branches. Although still obviously inspired by the original Portuguese m63 design, the new version featured a much different color palette, perhaps more suitable to arid regions of the country. Produced in Asia for export specifically to the FADM, during the very early period of the Afghanistan War the [[Afghanistan|Northern Alliance]] also used this pattern (although in a completely different uniform style). This pattern continued to be worn by Army and Air Force personnel until around 2015-2016.
 [[File:mozambique4.jpg|200px]]
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 [[File:moz-police.png|200px]]
-* At some point prior to 2018, the ''Forca Aérea de Moçambique'' (FAM) adopted a copy of the [[Brazil|Brazilian Air Force]] "vertical lizard" camouflage pattern, with dark blue, light brown, and olive green stripes, on a very light olive base.
+* At some point prior to 2018, the ''Forca Aérea de Moçambique'' (FAM) adopted a copy of the [[Brazil|Brazilian Air Force]] "vertical lizard" camouflage pattern, with dark blue, light brown, and olive green stripes, on a very light olive base. It is quite possible the pattern was adopted after the Armed Forces discontinued its use of the "arid lizard" design in 2016.
 [[File:brazil16.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:mozambique6.jpg|200px]]
 [[File:moz-police.png|200px]]
 * The ''Serviço Cívico de Moçambique'' (SCM) or Civil Service is an agency primarily concerned with economic development and providing the country with basic social services. It is an alternative to military service and provides training in agriculture and construction, among other technical skills. The service has issued a camouflage uniform for a number of years. The first design (introduced prior to 2022) consists of amoebic shapes in black and two shades of green on a very pale green background.

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 [[File:moz-lizard3.png|200px]]
 [[File:mozambique2.jpg|200px]]
 * Around 2012 the Naval Forces of the FADM began wearing a completely new pattern, having brown and grey [[woodland]]-type shapes on a pale grey background. Use of this pattern has not been extended to the Marines ''(Fuzileiros)'' who have continued to wear a variation of the original Portuguese m63 design.

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 * A second camouflage pattern was introduced to the SCM in 2024 and features overlapping brown, olive green, and leaf green shapes on a pale green background. This has replaced the earlier design.
-[[File:moz-scm1.png|200px]]
+[[File:moz-scm2.png|200px]]
 == Camouflage Patterns of Insurgent Forces ==