The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has deployed its drones and additional nigh patrols to track Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in North Kivu’s Kisima region. The deployment comes as the terror organization continues to expand throughout the province as well as the neighboring Ituri Province.
MONUSCO has in the past received criticism from residents who have maintained that the mission did not protect the civilian population which has since prompted the opening of a base in Kilya, in the Malambo Groupement, and soon another in Mutwanga, capital of the Ruwenzori sector to prevent attacks and protect the populace.
The deployment of the drones will give the security forces an edge that was previously lacking in the CT efforts in Beni. ISCAP has been expanding its territory in DRC with backing from ISIS-central which has heightened the threat. The deployment is also significant as it will limit jihadists movements and conduct reconnaissance in a region with unfavorable geographical terrain.
COIN strategies have been revised in DRC to address the graduating of ADF from a rebel group to a full-blown terror outfit that has time and again followed ISIS-central’s directive most recently in the freeing of its prisoners from the prison in Beni. Such CT efforts effectively implement will go a mile in decapitating ISCAP in DRC and preventing from amercing territory and recruits in the already unstable region that is constantly marred by violence and unrest.
