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Jose Tembe-BBC News, Maputo

In northern Mozambique, hundreds of internally displaced people who had fled Jihadist attacks that began in 2017 have begun to return to their homes following military operations involving troops from Sadc and Rwanda.

In recent weeks towns and villages in Cabo Delgado province that had been overrun by the Islamist militants have been recaptured.

In Rwanda local media has shown photos of the military helping displaced people set off in buses and lorries from displacement camps back to their homes.

Elsewhere the coalition has been reported to have flashed out most of the Jihadist and cornered them.

The Mozambican authorities have however warned that some areas are still not ready to be repopulated as the jihadists destroyed basic infrastructure.

Close to three quarters of a million people have been forced to flee their homes because of the violence.

The forces are surrounding the militants in the areas of Siri I and Siri II.

The military push comes barely four days after the joint forces seized Mbau — another key insurgent stronghold — after a fierce battle.

Military sources reported that more than 100 people were released from jihadist captivity, and dozens of militants were killed.

On 8 August, the joint forces drove out insurgents from Mocimboa da Praia, a port city that had been the headquarters of the militants for more than three years.

After fleeing the city, the insurgents moved further southwards into the thick forests of Mbau. 

Siri I and Siri II are the insurgents only remaining major hideouts in Mocimboa da Praia. — Reuters.