| Country: | Mozambique |
| Details of Formation: | The Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) is a private South African security company that was founded in 2012 by the retired Zimbabwean colonel Lionel Dyck. In 2013, the group was contracted for anti-poaching operations in Mozambique. In March 2020, the group additionally got hired to replace the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, in fighting the insurgents in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. The group first signed a three-month contract with Police General Commander Bernardino Rafael, which was then renewed for another eight months. |
| Details of Termination: | The group was still active in Mozambique in 2020. |
| Purpose: | First, the group was engaged in anti-poaching activities in Mozambique, where it sponsored a helicopter and helped to set up a central command centre. Since 2020, the firm also operates in Cabo Delgado to fight the extremist Islamic group, Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jammah, which is locally also known as Al Shabaab. The group, which has operational experience, assists the Mozambican military by providing air support, with its personnel operating drones and helicopters. Moreover, the group provides training to local policemen. |
| Organisation: | Colonel Lionel Dyck is the owner of DAG, and his son Max Dyck and Paul Molam are also part of the private security company’s leadership. The group is based in Velddrif in South Africa. In Mozambique, it is contracted to the police and internal security forces. The firm’s involvement in Mozambique is illegal under South Africa’s anti-mercenary law, as the group does not have the required official permission by the South African government to conduct paramilitary activities. |
| Weapons and Training: | The group mainly operates from the air by flying combat helicopters with machine guns and light planes and by using drones. DAG provides training to ground troops and local policemen. |
| Size: | In the operation that started with 30 men allegedly about 100 mercenaries were deployed. |
| Reason for Membership: | -- |
| Treatment of Civilians: | The group is launching air attacks on the Mozambique government’s side against the insurgents. They bombed villages and fired missiles on the houses of those they suspected to support the extremists. Mostly women and children were injured. |
| Other Information: | The Dyck Advisory Group is a private security company that operates worldwide providing among others demining, anti-poaching, and canine services. |
| References: | Wikipedia. “Dyck Advisory Group.” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dyck_Advisory_Group&oldid=1016942043. |