Tanzania, an East African country, is facing threats of extreme terrorism in coming days as jihadist organizations in the region race to outsmart each other. There is a jihadists race in East and Central Africa and as argued by S.I Counter Extremism experts, the competition will be inform of level of violence, frequency of the violence, and brutality of tactics used by either of fundamentalist organization.
The United States Embassy in Dar issued a statement warning of impeding violent extremist’s activities in the country. The warning was ambiguous though Tanzanian police officials confirmed they were aware of such a threat. The United States warned of possible terrorist attacks in Masaki area of Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, targeting tourists. The threat report also warned of possible attacks at the Slipway Shopping Centre on the Msasani Penisula.
However attacks may happen in elsewhere with strategic value to Dar or at border towns such as South of Tanzania, near the border with Mozambique or further North along the border with Kenya, and Mwanza in the North West. Pwani and Mtwara areas harbor radical islamist cells hence also prone.
The country has produced a significant number of fighters operating in Somalia, Mozambique, and DRC. In Mozambique, Islamic States cells continue to conduct attacks in Cabo-Delgado prefecture killing hundreds of unarmed civilians. The leadership of ISIS in Mozambique is Tanzanian youth who were inspired into Islamic Fundamentalism by Kenya radical preacher Aboud Rogo. In DRC, dozens of Tanzanians are leading the Islamic States group ISCAP further complicating scope of counter extremism operations in the region. It is highly possible grassroots jihadists with foreign training will conduct attacks in the country. However what is not clear is which Islamist group will be responsible. Both Al-Qaeda and ISIS have presence in the country.
