Mid-Week Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Brief for East and Central Africa (Somalia, Mozambique, DR-Congo): Tracking Islamic State Terrorists in Period of 13th May- 18th May 2021

Islamic State provinces in East and Central Africa appear to be exhibiting a lull in their activities with a fewer number of attacks in the period referenced herein. The groups continue to show presence despite there being large-scale attacks as in previous months and can be directly or indirectly credited to stepped up CT operations in the respective localities.

The groups celebrated the Eid ul Fitr and pictures were circulated for the Somalia and DRC provinces which are a norm seeing as ISIS-Central also posted the most propaganda material to showcase its various groups from across the globe.

An observable lull is observable in Mozambique while in DRC the military and peacekeepers have been stepping up operations with airstrikes and deployment of an intervention brigade.

ISCAP Attacks in Mozambique and DRC (13^th May- 18^th May 2021)

DRC

• 12^th May- 21 people killed, 52 kidnapped in attacks on five villages; Makumo, Ngaka, Masana, Matonge, and Sambangi in Babila Babombi chiefdom near Mambasa, Ituri Province.
• 13^th May- 1 soldier killed after aMONUSCO-Congolese patrol was attacked with RPGs and automatic weapons by ISCAP.
• 13^th May- the group released photos of the group’s Eid ul Fitr celebrations
• 13^th May- ISCAP attacked a Congolese military barrack in Ngaka, Beni, and seized weapons and ammunition.

NOTABLES

• In DRC, ISCAP released photos from their Eid ul Fitr celebrations which depicted a group that has more numbers than reported by local authorities. The images which appear to be of better quality than in the past indicative of a growing media wing also show a sizeable number of child soldiers and teenagers with guns. The caliph Musa Baluku was seen talking to the militants and in the first citing in a while.
• In DRC, the MONUSCO force carried out airstrikes last week that targeted positions of ADF fighters in the Ruwenzori sector in Beni territory. The aerial intervention by the peacekeepers is a welcome assistance for the Congolese troops to chase and eliminate the ISCAP elements. This month, troops of the MONUSCO intervention brigade have stepped up patrols and continue to provide support to the Congolese army to protect the civilian population.
• Several soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) were arrested in Beni in North Kivu Province after intelligence implicated them in planned assassinations of fellow soldiers. The arrested soldiers had been aiding and colluding with the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in the region a group that has been on a violent campaign. The growing corruption has been undermining the CT operations that have been employed towards quashing the growing group in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
• In Mozambique, ISCAP has been recruiting from other provinces according to reports, Niassa province remains one of the recruitment sites of choice for terrorist groups where impoverished youth are recruited with promise for employment in other parts of Mozambique only to join the terror group in Cabo Delgado. Niassa province has had several but isolated incidents of terror threats including the presence of key recruiters for ISCAP.
• In Mozambique, reports from rescued hostages indicated that the foot soldiers have received an increased stipend from their attacks. Reportedly, any combatant who returned unharmed received the prize of 120 thousand Meticais approximately $2000, regardless of age. For combatants who contracted deep wounds in the middle of combat, they received 240 thousand Meticais, therefore, twice as much.
• Additionally, the number of children soldiers within the ranks of ISCAP in Cabo Delgado is increasing with the age going as low as 11 years who have been kidnapped over the years since the insurgency broke. The witnesses revealed that the children are instructed to sleep/rest during the day and circulate at night, to pray, memorize the Koran, to use slang language and probably military exercises, away from the eye of ordinary hostages.