Monthly Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Brief for East and Central Africa (Somalia, Mozambique, DR-Congo, Tanzania, Uganda): Tracking Islamic State Terrorists in February 2022

Mozambique

• 2^nd Feb- at least 3 were killed, and over 15 wounded after ISCAP attacked and burned a hospital and Christian homes on Matemo Island off of the coast of Cabo Delgado.
• 5^th Feb- ISCAP insurgents ambushed a military near Nova Zambezia, Macomia District killing at least 1 Mozambican soldier.
• 6^th Feb- 6 people were killed in a series of attacks in Macomia town by militants.
• 6^th Feb- insurgents raided Nambedo in Nangade district where they looted food and retreated. They killed one person and kidnapped at least 6 women.
• 7^th Feb- ISCAP insurgents killed one civilian in the attack, burned homes, and looted food and other goods in Namuembe village, Nangade district.
• 8^th Feb- ISCAP attacked Bagala village in Macomia district, killing 3 members of a local militia that is allied to the Mozambican military. Several homes and two vehicles were razed.
• 18^th Feb- columns of ISCAP insurgents that had been driven out of Palma district arrived in Nangade district where they surrounded villages and prevented residents from fleeing.
• 18^th Feb- at least 6 people were killed, houses looted and burned in Litingina by over 50 insurgents believed to have fled Palma following CT Ops by the joint Rwandan-Mozambican troops.
• 18^th Feb- 3 people were beheaded in Mandimba village, Nangade by ISCAP.
• 19^th Feb- a group of at least 35 insurgents, who were aged between 12 and 40 years old, killed two people in Ntamba Lagoa in the Nangade district.  
• 20^th Feb- one man was beheaded and another abducted in Mungano village, near Namatil as the columns of insurgents passed carrying looted supplies, goats, and large quantities foraged along the way from Palma.
• 20^th Feb- ISCAP attacked, looted, and burned homes in Muiha, Chicuaia Velha, and Paulo Samuel Kankomba villages all in Nangade district.
• 20^th– 24^th Feb- militants caused havoc and remained in various villages in Nangade district where several people were killed, houses looted and burned as well as people blocked from leaving their houses.
• 23^rd Feb- insurgents staged three attacks on Mozambican troops at Quinto Congresso, Macomia district. At least one person was savagely beheaded.
• 28^th Feb- ISCAP displayed at least 10 military IDs of soldiers reportedly killed alongside weapons seized from three attacks in 5° Congresso, Macomia. The USA trained a UIR contingent deployed at 5° Congresso.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

• 2^nd Feb- at least 26 prisoners were released after ISCAP attacked Nobili prison in Nobili town in North Kivu.
• 7^th Feb- 6 people were killed and 3 motorcycles burned after the ISCAP attack in Ngubo village of the Babila Babombi chiefdom Beni.
• 10^th Feb- a married couple was kidnapped from their farm in Makumo, Mambasa territory of Ituri province.
• 12^th Feb- 3 people killed after insurgents attacked and burned several homes in Makumo, Mambasa territory of Ituri province.
• 16^th Feb- 2 people were killed after ISCAP attacked Makeke village in Ituri; the militants burned homes and property in the village.
• 17^th Feb- 1 person was killed and another kidnapped after an ambush along the Beni-Kasindi road section, near Kalembo, in the Rwenzori sector, Beni.
• 23^rd Feb- Six civilians were killed in three different attacks in Ndalya and Luna Kabrike villages, south of Irumu territory (Ituri)
• 24^th Feb- 4 people hacked to death with machetes in Karuruma village located on the Kasindi-Butembo road axis, Beni.
• 27^th Feb- at least 20 people were killed by the ISCAP attack in Kikura village in the Watalinga sector. The victims were hacked to death with machetes.
• 27^th Feb- a Congolese army barracks was attacked, with automatic weapons, Kdebu village, Ituri province.
• 27^th Feb-  at least 6 people were killed by ISCAP in Ndalya village, Irumu territory in Ituri province.

NOTABLES

Mozambique

In Mozambique, ISCAP attempted to refute the intelligence claims that have ceaselessly indicated a weakened insurgency by launching a multi-day attack in Matemo Island. The multi-day attacks that happened at the beginning of February appear to veer away from the group’s recent mode of operation. Since the incursion by the SAMIM and Rwandan forces, ISCAP has actively avoided extended operations in areas that have little tree cover to avoid direct kinetic combat with the troops. While the group arrived in boats and looted property, it is evident that the group has resulted in intimidating the residents by leaving warning graffiti saying that the allied troops are incapable of protecting the residents.

The continued disarray and general lack of cooperation between the Rwandan troops and SAMIM forces continue to be seen. It was especially evident when SAMIM forces failed to work with the Rwandans in their clearing of Palma district; with a possibility for the influx to move west towards Nangade, the SAMIM force did not plan to counter them which in turn led to the attack and free movement of jihadists with little resistance.

The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council announced that it will be sending a shipment of Chinese military aid to Mozambique this year to bolster SAMIM’s efforts in the country which faces significant financial and supply struggles. The shipment is part of China’s commitment to supporting African peacekeeping missions through the AU.

Local militias that have been operating to protect civilians have stepped up their operation and have been recording successes that include killing insurgents as well as driving them out of areas they have forcefully occupied. Additionally, increased cooperation between all the allied forces that have been clearing areas in CD is at an all-time high. The cooperation between all forces has led to what is being observed as enhanced success and arrests of the militants.

DRC

In DRC, the entry of Ugandan troops in Ituri province has seen the introduction of bombardments of ISCAP positions in various locations in Walese Vonkutu chiefdom where intelligence has indicated the increased number of militants. On February 9^th between the Makusa and Makumo villages, in the Bangole group, 23 terrorists were neutralized by the army. The success recorded in DRC is in part due to the morale boost on the Congolese troops from their Ugandan counterparts who are revitalized and better equipped.

The arrest of a Tanzanian national in the Rwenzori sector by security forces continues to reaffirm previous intelligence that revealed the growing number of foreign fighters within ISCAP’s ranks in Beni and Ituri. The presence of foreign fighters is a clear indication that ISCAP has a growing reach in the region and as such should be approached with the necessary vigor by all the neighbors in order to avoid the establishment of a vast caliphate as is the mandate if ISIS-central.

Since early February, ISCAP has increased attacks in the chiefdom of Watalinga, on the border with Uganda, killing several civilians. Meanwhile, joint FARDC-UPDF operations have expanded to Ituri. These operations are supposed to dismantle the militancy in North Kivu and Ituri, two provinces under siege since May last year.

ISCAP in DRC has morphed to adapt and survive from the repeated onslaught by the joint operations between Congolese and Ugandan troops. Intelligence indicates that despite the insurgency having guns and automatic weapons it is conducting attacks with crude weapons such as knives and machetes to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

Belgium has announced that it would be sending 25 members of its Special Operations Regiment to Lwama in Kindu later this year to train the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) 31^st Rapid Reaction Brigade. The Belgian forces are projected to aid in the improvement of the capabilities of the rapid reaction brigade of the Congolese military.

Tanzania

In Tanzania’s Mtwara district, a growing threat against motorbikes (bodaboda) has been reported as over eight bodies have been discovered this year alone. Intelligence reveals that the dead riders have been killed after reportedly picking up passengers that are likely linked to the insurgency going on in Mozambique. There is a connection seeing as the militancy has a substantial number of members from Tanzania and the growing COIN operations near the border is a mitigating factor and their death can be considered as a preemptive self-defense action by the group.

Tanzania and Mozambique have been carrying out joint military operations against terrorists along their shared border, they have also teamed up to organize deradicalization programs using education and other means to prevent youth from falling into the trap of terror groups. The initiative launched by both countries in January is aimed at sensitizing the population about the dangers of terrorism and targets marginalized young people from Mtwara, Lindi, Ruvuma, Cabo Delgado, and Niassa provinces.

The United States announced sanctions on a Tanzanian national for his role in financing the ISIS-backed insurgency in Mozambique. The man identified as Peter Charles Mbaga, aka Abu Kaidha, facilitated fund transfers from South Africa, where he is based, and helped an armed group linked to the Islamic State purchase equipment on the South African market. The 45-year-old is further cited for seeking to purchase weapons in Mozambique.