The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) has announced that following intense clashes with ISCAP terrorists in Halungupa in Beni at least 10 terrorists were killed and five AK47 guns were recovered. The clashes have stirred intense social media propaganda by ISCAP who have been claiming that the clashes were with UN peacekeepers.
The PSYOPS being conducted by ISCAP is aimed at diverting attention to the fact that the killed militants were all foreign fighters from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania which confirms intelligence that the group has been receiving fighters from across the East African region.
The attacks and subsequent propaganda tour on social media further exposes that ISCAP in DRC is a growing group that has evolved from a local guerilla militancy to a jihadist organization that ought to be dealt with as such. It has proved that it has more manpower than anticipated and has the knowledge and technical know-how to mount both kinetic and psychological war in Beni.
Following the attack and aftermath, it is clear that ISCAP has a sizeable number of foreign fighters and it has been acting coy as a strategy to appear smaller than is and resources-deficient which has allowed it to operate under the radar and become a major threat that directly or indirectly affects the East Africa region.
It is important to note that President Félix Tshisekedi decreed a state of siege on May 3 for the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, before appointing the military governors to lead these provinces for a period of 30 days.
