Sara Jacobs: “I thank my friend, Representative Manning, for yielding time; to Chairman Meeks for advancing this legislation in…”

“I thank my friend, Representative Manning, for yielding time; to Chairman Meeks for advancing this legislation in committee; and to Chairwoman Bass; and my friend Congresswoman Kim, for partnering with me on this important effort. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution on Mozambique, which calls for stability and the cessation of violence in northern Mozambique and condemns the attacks and violence by ISIS-Mozambique. It calls for a new strategy and a new approach for how the U.S. engages with Mozambique to address conflict and violent extremism. And part of why passing this resolution today is so important, is because we need to raise awareness in this body and in this country about the dire humanitarian situation in Mozambique. Since 2017, ISIS-Mozambique, also known as Ahlu al Sunnah wal Jamaah, has inflicted violence on communities in Mozambique. These insurgents have brutalized people and targeted civilians through mass beheadings of men and boys, abductions of children, and attacks against key civilian infrastructure. This violence, combined with the government response to it, has killed over 1,700 civilians in Cabo Delgado Province alone. The international community, particularly the Southern African Development Community forces and Rwanda's forces, have responded with troop deployment to secure areas and shield civilians from continued violence. But let's be clear. We know that a military-led response will not be enough.…”