Monthly Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Brief for East and Central Africa (Somalia, Mozambique, DR-Congo, Tanzania, Uganda): Tracking Islamic State Terrorists For June 2023

Executive Summary:

In June the various Islamic State caliphates in East and Central Africa exhibited a slight lull in their activities compared to May. In Mozambique, the Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) appears to be planting deeper roots in the Macomia district from where intelligence indicates the militants have been taking advantage of the weak security presence that has allowed for the movement and support to the insurgents’ logistics from that side.  Macomia is especially attractive to the terror group because of the deep roots that they have in the district combined with Mozambican military (FDS) weakness, SAMIM and Rwandan troops (RSF) reluctance, and the limited presence of Local Forces to run the much-needed interference.  Additionally, a United Nations report was released and highlighted the interconnected nature of the Islamic State financial network in Sub-Saharan Africa a network that was coordinated and adequately spearheaded by slain Somalian Bilal al-Sudani earlier in the year.

In DRC the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) appeared to have stepped up their attacks in the region despite a huge military presence. Intelligence depicts a group that is still strong, with roots in the community that allow them to move freely in both North Kivu and Ituri Provinces. It is important to note that a spike in attacks against both local military and allied forces was also observed a move that indicates the need for the group to replenish military supplies.

Incident Report:

MOZAMBIQUE

• 30^th June- at least 10 soldiers were killed following an attack by ISM in Cobre near the Macomia coast.
• 28^th June– insurgents attacked and burned several homes killing one person in Limala village in MDP.
• 30^th June– ISM insurgents attacked Kallugo village and fatally shot a woman. During the attack, the terrorists went from door to door looting for food and other goods.
• 23^rd June– three Christians were killed in a suspected ISM attack in the Limala area in Mocimboa da Praia (MDP) in Cabo Delgado (CD).
• 21^st June– a group of insurgents led by a 24-year-old Chissano Andulahi Saleh attacked Kalugo village in MDP, bought and cooked food for themselves before leaving after several hours.
• 05^th June- armed militants attacked fishermen, firing at them and stealing their fish and belongings along the Messalo River basin near a small lake in Miangalewa.
• 05^th June- insurgents stopped and searched a minibus looking for security forces along the Macomia coast, near the village of Ilala.

Somalia

• 9^th June- Islamic State Somalia targeted a police vehicle in a roadside IED in Karan, Mogadishu. The incident resulted in the death of one policeman and several others injured.

DRC

• 29^th June- 13 Christians were killed by ISCAP militants in west Oicha along the RN4 road in North Kivu.
• 27^th June- ISCAP insurgents ambushed a Ugandan military patrol in Kabasiwa in Beni; at least 4 were killed.
• 25^th June- Manya village in Ituri province was attacked by ISCAP; they razed homes and forced the residents to flee at least 7 people were killed.
• 25^th June- 8 people were killed by ISCAP in Motoyi village in Beni, North Kivu.
• 17^th June- at least 43 people including 39 students were killed, and many others were injured, female students were abducted following an ISCAP attack at Lhubiriha Secondary School in the Mpondwe area in Kasese district in Uganda.
• 14^th June- one person was ambushed and killed by ISCAP on the RN4 between Kitifia and Oicha in North Kivu.
• 13^th June- 4 people were assaulted and killed by ISCAP on the RN27 in Irumu in Ituri Province.
• 13^th June- 8 soldiers were killed in a clash with ISCA in the Otumberi area in Ituri Province.
• 11^th June- ISCAP terrorists killed 2 soldiers following an attack at their barracks in the Otumberi area in Ituri Province.
• 11^th June- 10 people were killed in the ISCAP attack in Kasindi along the RN4 road in North Kivu.
• 07^th June- ISCAP attacked and razed the homes of Christians in Lumalisa in Ituri Province.
• 08^th-09^th June- at least 18 people were killed in a nighttime attack by ISCAP in Bukokoma near Mutwanga in the Rwenzori sector in North Kivu.
• 07^th June- 2 people were killed and another seriously injured in Kyangendi in North Kivu
• 07^th June- civilians were ambushed and attacked on the RN4 between Luna and Idohu areas in Ituri province.
• 06^TH June- a night-time assault in the Kariroma area near Bashu in Beni left at least 3 people dead.
• 03^rd – 04^th June- at least 18 people were killed in a series of attacks along the RN4 in Komanda and environs in Ituri province.
• 04^th June- ISCAP militants clashed with a Ugandan Army Patrol on foot near Mulekia in the Beni region of North Kivu.
• 03^rd June- 2 people were killed in the ISCAP ambush on the RN4 between Luna and Idohu in Ituri.
• 02^nd June- An ISCAP ambush killed at least 5 Christians on the RN4 near Ndalya, Ituri Province.
• 01^st June- ISCAP militants ambushed and conducted an attack on the RN4 in Kanyamotsisa, Near Kiondo, North-Kivu Province.

ANALYSIS AND INSIGHTS

TANZANIA

In June, an IS-supporting podcast welcomed the release of radical Sheikhs by the High Court in Arusha in northern Tanzania. The podcast which is distributed through social media platforms such as Telegram and Facebook, and is in the Swahili language is broadcast in East Africa and is often used to relay listeners greetings and prayers for IS leadership.

A Tanzanian figure called Ulanga is now the religious leader of the insurgency, having been appointed earlier in the year. Tanzanian clerics were critical in seeding the ideology of the group in its early days in Mocímboa da Praia. Tanzanian clerics have been very instrumental in the establishment of the IS movement in the region and are considered very critical figures in the seeding of radical ideologies, especially in Mozambique.

IS leverages existing networks and figures like Abuu Ismail (who was among the released clerics) to establish a foothold in new regions. Abuu Ismail’s activities pre-date IS’s presence in East Africa for several years, demonstrating how IS exploits pre-existing extremist elements to further its agenda.

MOZAMBIQUE

UN reports reveal links between ISM and ISCAP

In June, the UN Experts Group released a report on Cabo Delgado’s place in IS financing networks, as well as ongoing, and recent, contacts between the province’s insurgents and ISCAP in DRC making it the first time that the UN has acknowledged the presence of ties between the group in Mozambique and the counterpart in DRC.

Intelligence has revealed that the Cabo Delgado leadership attended meetings held in South Kivu in DRC and Kigoma in Tanzania in June and August 2022, respectively. It claims a further meeting in South Kivu earlier this year.

In terms of financial connection, the report provides evidence of the management of IS finance networks in the region, stretching from Somalia to South Africa and encompassing Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda. It discusses transfers of money, including up to $400,000 from IS’s Karrar hub in Somalia to South Africa, and onward to Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda

The report’s timing comes as intelligence sources indicated that the lull in Cabo Delgado is reflective of a reorganization within the group, with some strategic direction being received from outside.

Egypt promises to provide special forces training in Mozambique

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reached an agreement on security cooperation, with Egypt promising to train Mozambican special forces in the fight against terrorism. Al-Sisi also said Egypt would be willing to provide religious education in Mozambique to counter the spread of extremist preaching.

Egypt has considerable military experience and has been fighting its own Islamic State-affiliated insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula since 2014.

Zambia Air Force deploys force protection unit to Mozambique

Zambia scaled up its contribution with the deployment of a force protection Regiment Unit under SAMIM to help in the fight against ISM in Cabo Delgado. The Regiment Unit deployed will be responsible for base protection and security of storage facilities and air assets in CD.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO  
The UN group of experts report on the Congo

According to the UN group of experts report on the Congo, ISCAP has made efforts to conduct mosque recruitments in other locations in DRC by sending combatants or collaborators on reconnaissance missions elsewhere than North Kivu and Ituri Provinces. Notably, ISCAP recruits from mosques in Uvira in South Kivu and Kalemie in Tanganyika.

The report highlights the complexity of ISCAP’s operations in DRC which has numerous occasions been reduced to a mere rebel group by the officials. The underestimation of the group by the security apparatus has allowed the group’s expansion and continued violent campaign against civilians.

ISCAP attack on School in Uganda

A terrorist attack by ISCAP militants occurred in Lhubiriha secondary school, in Mpondwe, which is located about 2kms, from the DRC border in Kasese District. At least 43 people were killed including 39 students, a dormitory was burnt and a food store was looted. The killings come amid an unprecedented offensive by Congolese and Ugandan troops against the grouping the Islamic State group calls its affiliate.

Following the attack, Uganda announced reinforcement to the border region as well as a reiteration of the military position in Mwalika where ISCAP has a significant presence. The reinforcement and enhanced collaboration between the Congolese and Ugandan sides are expected to offer counterterrorism efforts against ISCAP in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

ADF leader of Tanzanian nationality killed

The Congolese army announced the death of one of the leaders of the ISCAP following CT operations along the Taliya River, in the Mwalika Valley. The leader is of Tanzanian nationality and has since been identified as Amri Abdi Shakur who was killed with his wife. He was a commander in Mwalika and intelligence indicates that he was also a doctor. During this operation, three weapons of the AK47 type and several military effects were also recovered. The Congolese army also discovered a mass grave in the area.

SOMALIA

The report by the Group of Experts shows that the IS financial networks appear to have taken some blows since. IS’s Bilal al-Sudani, who coordinated financial flows through Somalia, was killed by US forces in late January 2023. Intelligence had predicted that his death would be a major blow to the Islamic State’s global networks and especially to its efforts across greater Sub-Saharan Africa.

Al Sudani headed the Islamic State’s Al-Karrar regional office which is in charge of the Sub-Saharan provinces, and their affairs and provides a bridge beyond Africa. The Sudanese has shown his shrewd nature and is believed to have received and disbursed millions from various financial facilitators and various groups.

Al-Karrar also oversaw the movement of tactical advisors to the Islamic State in Congo and Mozambique and the production of propaganda from both groups. This also includes the production of better-quality media productions that have either been used as part of the propaganda material or the current Focus on Africa-type campaign being run by ISIS-central.

Al Sudani through the Al-Karrar has been credited for the expansion and transformation from ADF a rebel group to ISCAP a terrorist outfit. On the other hand, in Mozambique, the first IS financial transfer to Mozambique was in October 2019 after which the group commenced one of its greatest campaigns. Intelligence indicates that just a few months after the financial injection, a series of offensives in early 2020 led to the capture of significant territory by that summer, including the largest cities such as Mocimboa da Praia.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• With the apparent direct links between the various provinces of the Islamic State, the security apparatus in the East and Central African nations must erect collaborative measures that will decapitate the cross-national movement of radical ideologies, finances, and personnel. This ought to include closely monitoring social media platforms like Telegram and Facebook, where IS-supporting content is being distributed and taking legal action against radical preachers and individuals spreading extremist ideologies.
• The UN report indicates that ISCAP and ISM have been leveraging existing networks and figures to establish a foothold in new regions. To effectively counter this threat, increased cooperation and intelligence sharing among East African countries, including Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, and the DRC, is critical to preventing the spread of IS and facilitating the tracking and disrupting of the movement of fighters, money, and communication channels between the groups.
• Countering IS Financing Networks: The UN report provides valuable insights into IS’s financial networks in the region. Countries in East Africa should work together to identify and dismantle these financial channels, track money flows, and freeze assets connected to terrorist activities. This would significantly hamper the groups’ ability to sustain their operations.
• Effective Response to Attacks: The recent attack on a school in Uganda highlights the urgent need for a coordinated and robust response against ISCAP. Both Uganda and the DRC should strengthen their military presence in border regions and collaborate closely to eliminate terrorist threats. Additionally, intelligence sharing and joint operations should be prioritized to disrupt terrorist activities and prevent future attacks.