Monthly Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Brief for East and Central Africa (Somalia, Tanzania, Mozambique, DR-Congo): Tracking Islamic State Terrorists in April 2021

April marked the beginning of the Holy month of Ramadhan which is historically headline-grabbing attacks marked by violence by most terror organizations. In the Holy month of Ramadhan, threats posed by the Islamic State factions remain high and can be felt with intelligence indicating that the groups are growing and planning major attacks before the end of the holy month. Though attacks have slightly reduced in the last weeks as compared to the first weeks of April; the slight decline in attacks should not warrant laxity by CT assets in any of the AOR but should be an opportunity to seal any security loophole subsequently to denying the blood-thirsty terrorists an opportunity to strike the civilian populace.

Typically, especially in Africa ISIS affiliates tend to make huge splashes that make international headlines as a way to commemorate the Holy month and as such CT apparatus in DRC, Mozambique, and Somalia ought to remain on high alert and explore all the COIN strategies at their disposal including allies as the month also doubles as the group’s largest recruitment drive.

The gruesome attacks by ISCAP in DRC and the simultaneous attacks by the group in Mozambique continue to cement the threat caused by the group and can be viewed as the group’s way of creating a hub and haven for jihadists from across East Africa. In Somalia, the group appears to have been reinvigorated by the activities of its ISCAP counterpart leading to the recording of the attacks towards security targets including the use of a VBIED targeting against Puntland forces and Somali Police forces in Mogadishu.

ISCAP Attacks in Mozambique, Somalia, and DRC for April 2021

DRC

• 01^st April– 29 people killed and over 50 more kidnapped in an ISCAP attack in Manyama and Moliso in Beni.
• 01^st April- 2 soldiers killed and their weapons seized by ISCAP militants after an attack on 2 barracks in the Rwenzori sector, Beni
• 04^th April- 20 people kidnapped in Mugwanga village, Irumu where most of the hostages were used to transport the looted goods and supplies back to the base camp in Virunga National Park.
• 04^th April- 12 civilians killed, 2 kidnapped, 5 houses burned, and mass looting in properties in Maelekwe village, Beni
• 04^th April- 4 people were shot dead in Magila village in Beni
• 07^th April- 1 soldier was shot dead, his motorcycle set ablaze and his rifle seized by ISCAP militants in Beni.
• 07^th April- ISCAP attacked Vido village, Kainama burned down the military barracks and kidnapped 1 person.
• 07^th April- ISCAP attacked Kisuhi village, Kainama burned down the military barracks and kidnapped 1 person.
• 07^th April- ISCAP attacked Kahumo village, where they looted for food and supplies
• 07^th April- 3 people killed including two soldiers in Ngadu village in the Rwenzori sector; a motorcycle was set alight.
• 17/04- three people were killed with some being beheaded in Mamove, Beni
• 23/04- At least 11 people were killed and over 20 kidnapped by ISCAP in Avenyi-Kukutama village in Beni.
• 23/04-  8 people killed by ISCAP in Erengeti area
• 24/04- 4 people were killed in Bangi Village, houses were also burned and looted in the area located in the Erengeti grouping.
• 24/04- 1 soldier was killed and several others injured in the ISCAP attack near Oicha, Beni. Weapons and ammo were seized from the military.
• 24/04- 12 people were killed by ISCAP in Maleki village, Beni where they were either shot or hacked with machetes.
• 24/04- at least five civilians were killed by ISCAP in Mangughutu village near Mantombi in Beni. Victims were hacked to death with machetes.

MOZAMBIQUE

• 01^st April– ISCAP captured and took control over two small boats on Palma Beach and retained control until 2^nd April.
• 01^st April– ISCAP and Mozambican troops clashed on the road connecting Palma and Mocimboa da Praia no casualties were reported on either side.
• 2^nd April– insurgents attacked and took control of Pangane village, Macomia. They arrived in boats and kidnapped 1 person.
• 2^nd April– ISCAP attacked Quitanda village in Palma district
• 2^nd April– clashes were reported between Mozambican troops and ISCAP militants in the Afungi Peninsula where a huge group of refugees had camped after fleeing Palma the previous week.
• 3^rd April– ISCAP conducted recurring attacks on the troops that were clearing Palma following the dayslong attack in late March 2021.
• 15/04- ISCAP militants attacked Mozambican troops in Roma near MDP where they attacked the soldiers with RPGs and machine guns. No fatalities were reported on either side.
• 16/04- ISCAP attacked Nanili village near Mueda in Macomia district, they had RPGs and machine guns and looted for food cementing intelligence that the group is running low on supplies.
• 16/04- 1 soldier was injured in Xitaxi, Muidumbe in an attack that saw the terrorists make away with military equipment and a sizable loot of food.
• 19/04- 4 civilians were killed and houses were burned following an attack by ISCAP in Quionga, Palma after which the terrorists fled towards the Tanzanian border.
• 23/04- five peopled were killed in an ISCAP attack in Palma’s Expansao neighborhood.

SOMALIA

• 4^th April- ISS claimed responsibility for the VBIED attack targeting Puntland forces in an attack that left at least twenty-four terrorists dead in Al-Miskaat Mountains.
• 11^th April- several police officers killed and others wounded following an IED attack on their car on Masani Road in Mogadishu.

OBSERVATIONS AND INSIGHTS

SOMALIA

In Somalia, as has been the observable trend in the past couple of months, Abnaa Ul Calipha has maintained a low profile that has been broken by the periodical attacks in the security apparatus in the country’s capital Mogadishu. The group recorded the use of IEDs in different locations in the country and could be an indicator that the group was willing to exploit the political tension in Mogadishu to stage a comeback.

The shift in the group’s operation ought not to be taken lightly seeing as ISIS is seeking to consolidate territory in the East and Central Africa region. More often than not the SNA and allied troops are fighting al Shabaab and a resurgence of Abnaa puts a new spin on the nature of CT operations in Somalia and especially in the capital.

DRC

In DRC, the group has been deploying psychological warfare where they send scouts to spread rumors of impending attacks causing disarray and lack of trust among the people. The use of methods that were previously uncharacteristic of the parent group is a clear indicator that the group has receive reinforcements and is taking shape as a complete jihadist group that ought not to be ignored.

The military arrested a recruiting agent from ISCAP in the border town of Kasindi in Beni territory, North Kivu following a tipoff from hostages recently released by the terror organization. The recruiter identified as Kasereka Mwindi Omari has been actively recruiting for the group and his efforts have reportedly led to the significant growth of the ISCAP’s manpower in Beni territory. This comes as intelligence revealed that the group has been bringing women and children in their raids especially in Beni where major demonstrations and sit-ins were held by residents for the best part of April.

Kenya and DRC signed a deal that will employ cooperation on counter-terrorism, weapon smuggling, regularized immigration, customs control, and cybersecurity. The fact that Swahili is the language spoken in eastern DRC where ISCAP has a presence; makes the recruitment of jihadists easier. Thus, the agreement will be a stepping stone in decapitating the financial network that has been funding the insurgency in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

MOZAMBIQUE

In Mozambique, a group of girls and young women believed to have been in the custody of ISCAP were released and have since narrated the horror stories from the militants’ camps. The horrific stories depict a group that takes up the caliphate model with boys and men receiving intense military training and the girls and women taking up the hospitality roles. The hostages revealed the atrocities that especially the girls as young as 12 years old have to face as they are taken as brides and prizes to soldiers that go out to fight and loot for supplies.

The Southern Bloc (SADC) announced that following deliberations, the crisis in Cabo Delgado warranted regional intervention that would be tailored to both prevent the spread across the region but at the same time protect Mozambique’s sovereignty.

SADC technical team proposed that aid to Mozambique being given in a two-option plan with the two being executed simultaneously for maximum effect. The first would be the minimal deployment of SADC forces to Cabo Delgado to support the Mozambican military to neutralize the terrorists in the AOR. The second is a training and logistical support package that would keep foreign troops out of the combat zone in Mozambique. The team recommended pursuing both plans simultaneously, bringing in foreign troops to help with the fighting while standing up for the training mission.

CONCLUSION

• ISCAP has threatened mass attacks in the coming month of Ramadhan in line with the MO of most jihadists groups both in DRC and Mozambique. The Ramadhan threat is the greatest yet in both countries as the group has been flexing its capabilities exhibited in the attacks in Palma in Mozambique and Rwenzori and Irumu in DRC.
• In Mozambique, while the allies offer military and technical, and other forms of support to fight ISCAP in CD, Maputo is hesitant as it seeks to accept aid that doesn’t compromise the sovereignty of the resource-rich nation.
• Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, and the DRC government ought to be on the lookout especially in the coming month of Ramadhan as coordinated or lone attacks are very likely to occur as indicated in chatter and intelligence with the groups’ networks.
• As Ramadhan continues, all security actors ought to be vigilant, use all available assets in ensuring that a would-be bloody Ramadhan is avoided and that the planned attacks are thwarted with minimum casualties.
• In order to curate and implement sustainable COIN strategies, sociopolitical injustices ought to be addressed seeing as most of the recruitment ground for the group especially in Mozambique is a majorly vulnerable youth that is angry at the government and seeks out revenge from the enemy.
• In DRC and Mozambique, the military has been accused of violating the rights of civilians in the name of intelligence gathering and as such creating animosity between the public and law enforcers. This trend is a major deterrent to the fight against ISIS in the countries.
• 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.