The Islamic State Central Africa Province continues to conduct attacks in both the Cabo Delgado region in Mozambique and North Kivu and Ituri provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the past week has shown a significant lull in the attacks by both groups, the group continues to exhibit their growing capabilities and intelligence indicates that the groups could be planning major attacks in October to celebrate their respective anniversaries.
In Mozambique, the group is commemorating its third anniversary while in DRC the group is commemorating its sixth. The groups have been terrorizing civilians and intelligence has indicated that the groups could carry out major attacks to that effect. Militaries in both continue to urge the local populace to work with them to ensure that there is success in the operations especially in capturing the recruiters and sympathizers that live among the civilians. Such elements have continued to give the terror organizations an upper hand in the fight and are used by ISCAP to scout locations, lure people to joining as well as to conduct pre-battle and post-battle assessments. This is especially true in Mozambique where the group continues to occupy major towns and locations since August.
ISCAP Attacks in Mozambique and DRC (9th October – 16th October)
DRC
- 14th October- 2 people were killed by ISCAP terrorists in Baeti, Batangi-Mbau in North Kivu. The militants further burned shops and homes during the attack.
Mozambique
- 9th – 12th October- 10 people were killed when ISCA attacked Nambo and Pangane, Mucojo in Macomia district. 3 people were killed in Nambo while 5 civilians and 2 soldiers were killed in Pangane. Additionally, 62 people were kidnapped, houses, and vehicles including military vehicles were set on fire.
- 14th October- ISCAP attacked Tanzanian troops in Kitaya, Mtwara region north of Mozambique’s border with Tanzania. Kitaya is located approximately 160km from MDP and is the first attack by the group across the border but the second against Tanzanian troops.
Observations, Insights, And Analysis
In DRC this week is the sixth anniversary of the very first massacre of civilians perpetrated on October 15, 2014, by the ADF now under the banner of ISCAP. The first massacre of civilians in Beni took place on October 15, 2014. On that day, at least 27 people were killed with knives and bullets in an attack attributed to the then Ugandan ADF rebels in the Ngandi neighbourhood in North Kivu. The consequences of the first attack as well as the following slew of attacks in the past six years still haunts the province even as the residents rebuild and attempt another try at life on the backdrop of looming danger and heightened threat springing from the affiliation of ADF to ISIS.
The Congolese military has sought out civil aid to enhance COIN strategies in North Kivu and Ituri provinces as it offers higher chances of defeating the insurgency with the population’s contribution. The Commander of operations Sokola 1, Brigadier General Peter Cirimwami urged the residents of Beni to refrain from publishing pictures of the attacks on social media as it served as an advertisement and the terrorists have been exploiting the posts as a form of propaganda and part of their recruitment drives. The same was reiterated by peaceful demonstrations that were geared at prompting the government to provide the military with the necessary support to protect the residents as well as restore peace in Beni.
In Mozambique, the Mozambican Minister of State Administration Ana Comoana announced that the Kenyan government had donated 15 tons of food products and medicines to Mozambique in support of its people affected by the terrorist attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The aid is geared at boosting the strained resources and at least 300, 000 people displaced by ISCAP in Cabo Delgado. The donations come as OSINT indicates that ISCAP conducted its second attack against Tanzanian troops in Kitaya in the Mtwara region in Tanzania which is located at least 160km from MDP which is under the jihadists’ control. The attack is a clear indicator that the group is potentially bigger and more powerful than previously mapped out as well as the jihadi presence in Tanzania which has produced key figures for the militancy in Mozambique.
In Mozambique, ISCAP continues to kidnap people as it has become its primary source of recruitment especially in the past few months which could have potentially grown the group to at least 4500 members. At first, the recruitment was by enticement, with promises of money or employment as well as luring the youth with false promises of scholarships to further Islamic studies abroad; only to end up in training camps in Cabo Delgado’s dense forests.
The European Union granted Mozambique’s request for assistance in tackling a wave of attacks in Cabo Delgado by ISCAP. However, the EU would require verifiable commitments from the Mozambican security forces to respect human rights in its operations and hold violators accountable before providing military support. This is majorly triggered by the outcry of severe human rights violations by the military since the CT operations began in Cabo Delgado. The promise by the EU comes as Mozambique has reportedly increased the Defense budgetary allocation in the 2021 budget to facilitate the expansion and implementation of the stringent COIN measures against ISCAP in the coming months.
As ISCAP celebrated three years of its first attack in Cabo Delgado intelligence has revealed that the group has killed at least 1000 people, displaced over 300,000, and among the slain is 14 community leaders who were pivotal in the region’s socio-political structure. Strides have been made in CT operations in the region with the identification of leaders as well as key figures including recruiters who have been mobilizing members for the group in the various districts especially in Macomia and Mocimboa da Praia.
Therefore, it is crucial that troops and COIN actors not relent in their fight against the affiliates both in DRC and Mozambique as the group continues to amerce territory and fighter so will it amerce sympathizers who will fund and protect the group’s interests and activities. The porous border between Mozambique and Tanzania ought to be better secured as well as the exploration of joint operations between the two countries that both have active jihadists to prevent the growth and spread of the terror organization across the East and Great Lakes region.
Peace is the backbone of development; all government must join hands to fight terrorism. All countries must contribute their resources and technology for protecting their people.