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

INCIDENT REPORT

DRC

• 26^th Jan- three people were killed in two villages in the Bashu chiefdom, south of the territory of Beni.
• 25^th Jan- 5 people were killed by terrorists in Uwalele village in Irumu Territory in Ituri.
• 25^th Jan- at least 12 people were killed by ISCAP militants in Mutuheyi and Mapendo villages IN Ituri province. Houses and motorbikes were also burned in the attack.
• 24^th Jan- at least 13 people were killed in an overnight attack by ISCAP in n the locality of Luna-Samboko, south of the territory of Irumu, in the province of Ituri
• 23^rd Jan- 3 Congolese soldiers were killed and others injured after they were attacked while on patrol in Luna village along the Beni-Ituri road in North Kivu province by militants with automatic weapons. Their weapons were seized in the attack.
• 20^th Jan- ISCAP militants killed one person and shot another in an attack that left several homes burned and looted in Lubano and Ndama villages in Rwenzori sector, Beni.
• 12^th Jan- at least 7 people were killed and several others missing after an attack in Kisima, Rwenzori sectors that also included the looting of property. The victims were stabbed to death as they were en route to their fields.
• 5^th Jan- an IED exploded in front of a thrift store at the Oicha Market in Beni after it was left by an ISCAP insurgent.
• 1^st Jan- 17 people killed, 13 kidnapped by ISCAP militants in Idohu, Walese Vonkutu chiefdom in Irumu, Ituri province.

MOZAMBIQUE

• 28^th Jan- six people were killed and several others injured, homes looted and burned following an attack by ISCAP in Iba village in Meluco district.
• 28^th Jan- at least 8 civilians were killed by ISCAP militants in Muaguide village in Meluco district and attacked that was later claimed by the militants.
• 27^th Jan- at least one person was beheaded after ISCAP militants attacked farmers in their fields in Mitambo village in the eastern Meluco district.
• 26^th Jan- at least one person was beheaded after ISCAP militants attacked farmers in their fields in Nova Zambezia in the Macomia district
• 23^rd Jan- three people were beheaded in an attack by ISCAP in Limualamuala in Nangade district.
• 18^th Jan- ISCAP insurgents donning Mozambican military uniform beheaded 2 men and Nkoe, Macomia and ordered their families to bring the heads back to the village as a warning to the people and village elders.
• 16^th Jan- at least 200 houses were burned by insurgents in Limwalamwala village in Nangade district.
• 15^th Jan- at least three Christians captured and beheaded by militants in Zambezia, Macomia District.
• 13^th Jan- ISCAP militants attacked Macaloe Island in Macomia district
• 12^Th Jan- Kitukia village, Meluco attacked by terrorists with at least 20 houses razed to the ground.
• 12^th Jan- Insurgents targeted the Pitolha village located near Muaguide, Meluco destroying several homes by arson.
• 11^th Jan- at least 60 houses burned, residents ran out of the villages by ISCAP militants in Sitati village in Meluco.
• 6^th Jan- 3 people killed after the invasion for the second time in less than a week, in the village Mariria, administrative post of Muaguide, district of Meluco.
• 6^th Jan- Several people were injured, homes, cars, and motorbikes burned after ISCAP attacked a Christian village of Nhayara in the Mueda region.
• 5^th Jan- ISCAP attacked Nangororo and Imbada in Macomia district in resurged attacks.
• 4^th Jan- A suspected insurgent attack on Mariria village located about 1.5 km from Muaguide in Meluco.
• 3^rd Jan- 5 people killed and at least 10 houses razed in an attack in the village of Nova Zambezia, Macomia in Cabo Delgado.
• 2^nd Jan- 3 Christians killed after militants attacked Nova Zambezia village, Macomia in Cabo Delgado with automatic weapons.
• 2^nd Jan- homes burned after insurgents attacked Mbada village, Macomia leading massive exodus including the local military.

SOMALIA

• 24^th Jan- two traders were targeted with fitted IEDs for failing to pay taxes to ISS in Bakara Market in Mogadishu.
• 22^nd Jan- a Somali police officer was assassinated by ISS in the Karan neighborhood of Mogadishu.
• 4^th Jan- Abnaa Ul-Calipha and Al Shabaab clashed in Al Miskaad East of Bosaso in Puntland.
• 4^th Jan – ISS detonated an IED on an SNA vehicle killing ad wounding 3 soldiers on Elisha road in Mogadishu.

NOTABLES

Mozambique

In January 2022, the N380 road that connects Pemba and Macomia, and then continues north to Mocimboa da Praia has been one of the main axes of insurgent activity in 2022. Continued attacks along the road pose a threat to Macomia town, which risks becoming isolated if the N380 around it becomes too dangerous for regular traffic.

Residents in the majority of the areas attacked have expressed dismay in the reaction time of the Mozambican troops who they claimed are more concerned about preventing IDPs from fleeing to safer areas than a swift response to attacks by the militants.

Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan traveled to Pemba in the last week of January where she met with her Mozambican counterpart to discuss the conflict. Both sides have been fighting the growing insurgency and cooperation between the two nations is paramount seeing as the demographic within the terror organization draws from both nations. Additionally, the leadership of the group has been cited to have a significant Tanzanian presence which could pose a greater threat as intelligence has indicated that the group could morph and escape into Tanzania due to the growing pressure by SAMIM and Rwandan troops in Cabo Delgado.

The SAMIM mission was extended for another three months to aid Mozambique with the fight against ISCAP but was immediately met with challenges after Lesotho announced the withdrawal of its troops citing a lack of funds to sustain the troops.

DRC

Salim Mohamed Rashid was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo on 28 January, where he was allegedly working with the IS-affiliated ISCAP. Rashid was a fugitive from justice in Kenya, where he faces terrorism charges after having been deported from Turkey after being arrested trying to enter Syria. Before his arrest, Kenyan police alleged that Rashid was in Mozambique and working with the insurgency there, based on mobile phone records. To have him appear in DRC working with the ADF is among the strongest evidence yet of direct collaboration between the IS affiliates in DRC and Mozambique.

Intelligence out of DRC indicates that ISCAP has established new headquarters between Ituri and North Kivu fleeing the hunt of the Congolese and Ugandan armies in the territory of Beni. Locals have revealed that these rebels have settled in the Masesele and Mongali villages on the North Kivu side and Ituri between the Samboko and Mutweyi rivers.

A key commander of ISCAP in DRC identified as Benjamin Kisokeranio was arrested as he attempted to cross into Burundi. Benjamin has been identified as being in charge of intelligence, finance, and supply for the group and has been wanted for the past five years.

Somalia

In a move that might exhibit its supremacy, the Islamic State Somalia (ISS) seems the group has been making serious inroads in the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab perceived areas of operations, one notably being, Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. Traders have reportedly closed shops while others have removed signboards in order to remain unidentified following the surge in ISS activity in Mogadishu and the country’s largest Bakara market.

CONCLUSION.

• In Mozambique, the group has resulted in a new form of intimidation and PSYOPS where they behead people and send the severed head back as a sign of warning to the leaders.
• SAMIM has been urged to seek external sources of funding for the mission if its mandate will continue to be accomplished. This was triggered by the exit announcement by Lesotho even as the mission was extended through April 2022. The withdrawal of troops by contributing countries will greatly undermine the progress that has already been made by the allied troops in CD even as intelligence reports a growing resurgence and return of ISCAP in areas previously rescued.
• Tanzanian and Mozambican leaders agreed on the need to improve border security along the Ruvuma River, citing the insurgency’s ability to operate on both sides of the border as an obstacle to victory in the conflict.
• Tanzania announced the signing of an MoU with Uganda that will allow for counterterrorism cooperation specifically directed at countering threats from IS-associated groups. Both nations have been fighting ISCAP that has spilled over from their neighbors.
• In DRC, the group has seemingly adopted a new revenue avenue where they charge a small ransom amount for people that have been kidnapped during attacks. In January, it was revealed that at least 11 people were released in Ituri after they paid a ‘bail’ of $35 per person.
• In DRC, the entry of the Ugandan troops has exerted pressure on the militants who have been migrating their camps and resulting in the growing use of IEDs especially in Beni a tactic commonly used to maximize target casualty while reducing the losses on the terrorists’ side.
• The arrest of the Rashid in DRC is a clear indicator that the cooperation between the two arms of ISCAP; Mozambique and DRC is much more than anticipated and that the region ought to rally and create CT strategies that will prevent the objectives of the group in East and Central Africa.
• In January 2022 UPDF and FARDC launched the second phase of their operations against ISCAP rebels in eastern DRC. The collaboration between the two militaries has shown a significant reduction in the number and frequency of attacks especially in Beni with several major bases captured and dismantled.