Weekly Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Brief for East and Central Africa (Somalia, Mozambique, DR-Congo): Tracking Islamic State Terrorists in Period of 1st July- 8th July 2021

ISCAP Attacks in Mozambique and DRC (1^st July- 8^th July 2021)

DRC

• 1^st July- at least 10 people killed by ISCAP militants Rwangoma, a district located in Beu commune in the city of Beni.
• 1^st July- 2 soldierswere killed, a truck burnt as well as 2 motorcycles and rifles seized after ISCAP militants targeted a Congolese military patrol on Bunia road in Idohu, Ituri Province.
• 5^th July- several people including one soldier were killed after ISCAP attacked Ndimo Village, Ituri. The soldier’s weapon was seized and the militants also burned to the ground several houses in the village.
• 6^th July- 3 people were shot dead by ISCAP militants in an ambush in Ratsangwele village, 4 kilometers from Loselose, in the Ruwenzori sector, Beni.
• 7^th July- 3 Christians were killed and at least 4 houses razed by ISCAP in Otomabare village in Irumu territory of Ituri province.

MOZAMBIQUE

• 2^nd July- ISCAP militants attacked Mande and Mueda villages in Muidumbe Districts in CD province.
• 02^nd July- 7 people were killed and two others injured by the ISCAP attack in Namande, Muidumbe.
• 06^th July- 10 people were killed, with 4 beheadings, homes were also burned to the ground in Namande village in Muidumbe by ISCAP militants.  
• 03^rd July- night-timefire which has become an indicator of ISCAP presence in locations in Cabo Delgado was spotted in Chiure town, Chiure district in CD province.
• 07^th July- fighters spotted in the area multiple fires reported in a settlement in Mucojo, Macomia district, Cabo Delgado

ANALYSIS AND INSIGHTS

In DRC, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been clearing grenades and other explosive devices that have been placed in various neighborhoods in Beni. The IEDs appear to be part of a new MO by ISCAP in Beni owing to the pressure exerted by security apparatus in the two provinces since the military siege. In the past week, the civilians in the two provinces have been taken matters into their hands where they have been arresting and lynching members of ISCAP as a way to keep their villages safer. The vigilante justice while it has been getting rid of the members of ISCAP is a worrying trend as it could birth other lawless militants and thus indirectly foster more war and conflict in the already volatile region.

The FARDC announce that they had destroyed five strongholds of Ugandan fighters of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the chiefdom of Walese Vonkutu, in the south of Irumu territory in Ituri. The airstrikes were conducted with ground support and destroyed Masangalo, Mugulumugulu, Belu2, Mont Aina, and Zunguluka: 5 ADF strongholds located to the east of the RN4, Komanda-Beni axis in the south of Irumu territory. Additionally, at least 90 ISCAP collaborators were arrested by the Congolese troops which have significantly reduced the activities of the group, especially in the Beni area.

In Mozambique, the conflict in CD has received a boost from allies in Africa as SADC, the southern Africa bloc, announced the deployment of forces to Mozambique from July 15, 2021, for an initial period of three months with the possibility of extension depending on the CT progress made in the mentioned period.

Additionally, Rwanda on Friday, July 9, announced that at the request of the Government of Mozambique, it is deploying a 1,000-person contingent of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to Cabo Delgado Province. The COIN boost will see the SADC, Rwandan and Mozambican forces working together to address the growing insecurity in CD, and annihilating the ISCAP militants that have since killed hundreds of people, displaced millions, and stalled the construction of the LNG project and other economic and development projects in the northern province.

Like in DRC, the Mozambican military has been deploying soldiers to the most affected places and has been facing off with the ISCAP militants. The military claimed to have killed about 150 insurgents, in the Afungi area; Olumbe, Monjane, and Maganja. Intelligence indicates that Mozambique’s best-equipped soldiers are deployed in the Afungi corridor. The efforts of the military continue to be backed by local militias that have been fighting the insurgents which have, in turn, reduced the number of attacks by the ISCAP militants in most districts in CD. Namande village is one of the three communities in the Muidumbe district that saw the population return after months of military clashes between the insurgents and the Defense and Security Forces.