The Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) has claimed an attack on a Mozambican military post in the restive Cabo Delgado region. The militants claimed that they attacked the military post in Macomia in a region has been battling with the Jihadists.
Further, ISCAP reported that its gallant fighters killed multiple Mozambican soldiers as well as displaying the captured spoils from the raid. The militants captured a huge cache of weapons from the military outpost.
Insight
ISCAP, which majorly comprises of the Islamists locally known as al Shabaab in Mozambique and ADF militia with a strong presence in DRC has been gaining traction for its slew of attacks in both countries since their bayat pledge was accepted by slain leader of ISIS.
ISCAP in Mozambique has been amercing weapons and vehicles and as the groups have been gaining more logistically flexible where they can covertly and swiftly attack villages and military outposts as compared to last year when the group was establishing itself.
Mozambique’s government initially sought to downplay the rebellion, dismissing the militants as criminals, and blocking journalists from accessing the region. But that is changing. Additionally, there are concerns that the conflict, if mishandled, could spread into neighboring Tanzania, and the larger Great Lakes region.
Governments in the region need to tighten the noose on the fight against the group before it gains enough strength to expand across the region especially with recent intelligence that reveals that the groups operating in Mozambique and DRC will be consolidated under the leadership of Abnaa Ul Calipha – the official ISIS province in Somalia. The consolidation could quite adequately create a rich and expansive hub for ISIS in the Sub-Saharan region. Serious counterterrorism measures must be curated to deal with the specific offshoot and especially now that the group is seeming bolder with their attacks.
Image Courtesy
