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

Incident Report

MOZAMBIQUE

• 30^th Nov– at least two soldiers were killed after ISM militants attacked allied SADC forces in Nkonga village located in the Nangade district.
• 25^th Nov– militants attacked and burned a truck in Mocimboa da Praia (MDP).
• 22^nd Nov– ISM terrorists kidnapped and beheaded 5 men in Nirunto village in Montepuez district.
• 21^st Nov– militants ambushed and attacked the vehicle belonging to the chief o police in MDP and kidnapped and killed three people.
• 17^th Nov– at least 5 Mozambican soldiers were killed by ISM terrorists in Nguida, Macomia district.
• 17^th Nov– ISM militants entered and attacked Mwampula village in Muidumbe district making it the second attack in the village.
• 15^th Nov– two people were kidnapped and executed by militants in Litandacua in the Macomia district.
• 15^th Nov– a joint Mozambican-Tanzanian patrol was ambushed near Nguida, Macomia. Three vehicles and an assortment of weapons were seized by the militants.
• 15^th Nov– several people were beheaded after terrorists attacked Mwampula and Namakol villages in the Muidumbe district.
• 14^th Nov– at least toe people were killed, and homes burned after militants attacked Marica Village in Balama district.
• 13^th Nov– fighters razed several homes in Malia village in the Balama district.
• 12^th Nov– ISM fighters attacked multiple homes in Moreba village in the Balama district.
• 11^th Nov– militants attacked and burned many homes in Namitori village in Namuno.
• 10^th Nov- between 30 and 40 militants attacked a Mozambican military base in Nguida, Macomia district at least three people were killed and 6 others were seriously wounded.
• 10^th Nov- ISM fighters attacked Litabata village, Muidumbe using automatic weapons killing at least two people.
• 09^th Nov- ISM militants clashed with a joint Mozambican-SADC patrol in Ngalonga Village, Nangade
• 9^th Nov– two Christians were beheaded and several homes razed after ISM militants attacked Nanrapa Village in Namuno district.
• 05^th Nov– Bararan village in Namuno district was attacked by insurgents who threatened the residents and burned several houses in the village.
• 04^th Nov– ISM militants attacked motorists on the road that links Ocua and Namuno towns in CD. Intelligence indicates that the militants attacked with automatic weapons.
• 01^ST Nov– two soldiers were killed and several others seriously wounded after ISM terrorists attacked a Mozambican military barracks in the Minhanha area of Meluco district. The base attacked is the UIR garrison and the militants escaped after stealing weapons

DRC

• 30^th Nov– ISCAP attacked and killed 3 people along the RS431 road near Kainama in Ituri Province in the second attack along the road in a week.
• 26^th Nov– ISCAP attacked and assassinated an army commander identified as Colonel Ngowi in his home in Butembo in North Kivu province.
• 26^th Nov– a soldier was killed following an attack on army barracks by ISCAP in Kanyihunga in Ituri.
• 22^nd Nov– ISCAP attacked the Ugandan Army along the RS431 road in Ituri.
• 22^ND Nov– 2 people were killed, and a couple of houses were razed in an ISCAP nighttime assault along the Mambasa-Komanda RN4 road in Lolwa village in Ituri province.
• 21^st Nov– two soldiers were killed in Nzinga, Beni after ISCAP militants attacked a Congolese Army barracks.
• 21^st Nov– ISCAP attacked an Army camp in the Bosio area in the Irumu region in Ituri.
• 20^th Nov– ISCAP terrorists attacked a Congolese military barracks in Malibongo village in the Irumu region in Ituri province.
• 16^th Nov– at least two people were killed and several vehicles burned by ISCAP militants along the Mambasa-Komanda RN4 road in Lumalisa in Ituri Province.
• 10^th Nov– militants attacked and burned vehicles along the RN4 road in Komanda, Ituri.
• 09^th Nov- at least 2 people were killed and over 10 others kidnapped,andseveral houses and cars were razed to the ground after an ISCAP attack in Kabasha, a Christian village. The attack occurred on the Beni-Butembo-Kasindi road.
• 07^th Nov- at least 7 people were killed and homes burned in the nighttime assaults in Kalaw village near Buleki in Beni region.
• 05^th Nov- ISCAP in DRC released the first full-length video that tittle ‘Life of Jihad Africa: Aspects of the Life of the Caliphate in a Central African State’, Congo (DRC).

NOTABLES

Mozambique

The US treasury department four individuals who were accused of having provided technical, financial, or material support to the terrorist group in southern Africa especially believed to have been channeling funds to The sanctions are expected to play a part in curtailing the group’s capability to acquire resources as well as fighter morale and hopefully give the SAMIM and other allied forces an upper-hand in ridding the province of the violent extremist who are getting brazen every day.

According to a recent report, the Islamic State has turned to Tinder as an avenue to raise funds for operations and recruitment. The militants create fake tinder profiles which are used to trick South Africans into sending money that is later channeled to IS operations in the various provinces across Africa. Additionally, several people were arrested including an American and two South African for allegedly supporting Islamic State Mozambique in Inhambane Province.

The ISM circulated a letter in Macomia that demanded the Christian and Jewish communities to either convert to Islam or start paying Zakat. The letter was written in Kiswahili and appeared to threaten the populace against cooperating with the apostate government.

Mozambican authorities say close to 90 Islamist militants alongside their hostages have surrendered to the government over the past two months in Mocimboa da Praia in Cabo Delgado province. The repentant militants are being rehabilitated and expected to go through the reconciliation and reintegration program that was introduced by President Filipe Nyusi.

President Nyusi said that the insurgents continue to enter Mozambique via Niassa and Tete provinces majorly through Malawi rather than entering from Tanzania in the north. Reports further indicate that the insurgency has been recruiting young people all across Mozambique.

The Caribbean and Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) Parliamentary Assembly reiterated the EU’s willingness to support Mozambique’s development and security through non-lethal means. The help packages are intended to supplement the military intervention by offering the residents support through economic empowerment and humanitarian projects that help the affected populace.

The European Council announced $21 million in support of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), which has 2,500 soldiers stationed in Cabo Delgado. Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Biruta, said they welcomed the timely boost that will assist armed forces to restore peace and security in Cabo Delgado.

DRC

In DRC, ISCAP activities have been overshadowed by the growing threat of the M23 rebels that have resurged and captured territories in Beni with the resurgence even temporarily cutting off the capital Goma from most parts of North Kivu. The violence led to the tactical withdrawal of MONUSCO troops from Rumangabo.

Kenya deployed troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo to battle a rebel offensive in the country’s troubled east in a joint operation by a regional bloc, President William Ruto announced. “As neighbors, the destiny of DRC is intertwined with ours,” Ruto said at a ceremony in Nairobi, adding that the troops who are part of a regional force that includes soldiers from Burundi, Uganda, and South Sudan were on a mission to protect humanity. Kenya is projected to deploy up to 1000 troops to DRC at an estimated $37m for the six-month mission who will be based out of Goma City.

The air force of the joint FARDC-UPDF military operations announced that they destroyed an important base belonging to ISCAP in the Mwalika valley. During the same operation, two combatants of foreign nationality (Kenyan and Burundian) were arrested by the army.

ISCAP in DRC released its first long video as part of a recruitment package. The video which is roughly 20 mins in duration; carries visuals from recent ISCAP attacks, executions, children indoctrination, fighter training, clashes, raids, and executions. Following the release of the video, IS-West Africa Province also released photo sets that depict the members watching the video from their ISCAP counterparts.

As the East Africa Regional Force prepares to deploy in full force, civilians in various territories in North Kivu have expressed that while currently, the force appears to be majorly focused on eradicating M23 rebels ISCAP is still a major threat. Civil societies have pleaded that the current Congolese-Ugandan coalition that has been dealing with ISCAP militants be left intact and continue with its operation concurrently with the new forces as their presence has greatly reduced the number of attacks from ISCAP  militants.