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

 

INCIDENT REPORT

MOZAMBIQUE

• 30^th June- A Christian was attacked and killed by militants in Namuka village in the Ancuabe district.
• 29^th June- Militants attacked and took temporary control of a military base in Mandiba, Nangade district where they later released photos of weapons and ammo seized during the assault.
• 28^th June- jihadists attacked Nakosa village in Ancuabe district where at least one person was killed.
• 28^th June- militants attacked a bus in Mocimboa da Praia where they killed and wounded seven people.
• 28^th June-Christians were attacked and their homes burned in Kisanga Village, Kisanga area.
• 26^th June- several Christians were injured after militants attacked and burned their homes in Tandako Village, Macomia.
• 25^th June- militants ambushed a passenger bus traveling on Palma-Mueda road near Njama village in MDP.
• 24^th June- ISM attacked and burned houses in Nambini village, Macomia.
• 24^th June- 1 Christian was beheaded and homes burned after terrorists attacked Machicame village in Ancuabe district.
• 24^th June- Mahecane village in Ancuabe was attacked by militants who terrorized the residents and burned several houses.
• 23^rd June- Civilians in Nkoe Village, Macomia fled after an attack by ISM militants who burned houses and a church.
• 22^nd June- militants attacked and burned homes of Christians in Cvana village in Ancuabe
• 22^nd June- militants attacked and captured two people and burned their motorcycles on the road to Nkoe village in Macomia.
• 20^th June- a Mozambican military barracks in Mombi Jo village in Nangade was attacked, and weapons and ammo were seized.
• 21^st June- militants attacked and burned down houses in Nagera village which is located between Metuge and Mecufi regions.
• 18^th June- several people were beheaded and two churches burned down in an attack in the Gangolo village near Nangade.
• 19^th June- 2 Christians were beheaded and two churches burned down in Mancaya village in the Ancuabe district.
• 18^th June- at least 5 people were beheaded and homes razed in Mangelio village near Muidumbe district.
• 18^th June- 1 person was killed and homes razed, and a church burned after militants attacked Nanoa village in Ancuabe.
• 18^th June- militants attacked Christians in the village of Niquita, Ancuabe district
• 17^th June- ISM militants attacked Lurio village in the Memba region of Nampula Province.
• 16^th June- 4 people were beheaded by militants and bodies were left on the road in Malamba village in Nangade.
• 15^th June- IS-MOZ attacked Mieze town in the Pemba district as the group continues to advance south.
• 14^th June- 2 Christians were beheaded and a church burned to the ground after militants attacked Mankani and Mikolini villages in the Shior Area.
• 13^th June- two Christian men were captured and beheaded in Nipataku village in Ancuabe district by IS-MOZ terrorists.
• 13^th June- IS-MOZ claimed an attack in the Chiúre district where they are said to have killed 2 people and 70 houses.
• 10^th June- a Mozambican military patrol was attacked by militants armed with automatic weapons; two soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. The militants made away with weapons and ammo.
• 9^th June- insurgents appeared at the village of Ntutupue, about 55 km west of Pemba, where local sources report that they encountered two civilians, beheaded one, and instructed the other to report what had happened.
• 9^th June- a Christian village was attacked where militants massacred two people and burned 20 of their houses. The attack occurred in the village of Namilombe, in the Macomia district.
• 9^th June– insurgents and security forces clashed outside Quinto Congresso where two soldiers were killed and several others injured and weapons and ammo seized.
• 8^th June- militants attacked Grafex company, a graphite factory in Silava Macua, Ancuabe district. They beheaded two guards at the company.
• 7^th June- civilians were forced to flee after militants attacked and burned houses in Chai in Macomia.
• 5^th June- many homes were burned to the ground after militants attacked Nandoli village as the group appears to have extended its operations in the Ancuabe district of CD.
• 1^ST June- Jihadists ambushed a dried fish truck, and kidnapped and murdered several passengers, in Inidade, Mocímboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado.

TANZANIA

• 22^nd June- Militants reportedly attacked Chiumo village in the Mtwara region.
• 19^th June- 4 people were killed, and several houses were razed in Michenjele village in the Mtwara region.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

• 30^th June- 5 people were killed and 6 motorbikes burned after militants attacked a group of Christians with machine guns in Kiyala Village along the Beni-Kasindi road.
• 29^th June- a Congolese soldier was assassinated and his weapon stolen in Visiki village in Southwest Beni.
• 27^th June- ISCAP militants attacked and executed civilians in 4 villages; Manzumbu, Mamove, Babila, and Babombi villages in Beni.
• 27^th June- 7 people were killed, and homes burned in an attack in Mabo village in Beni.
• 26^th June- 6 people were killed and houses burned following an attack in the Kisima area in Beni.
• 26^th June- militants attacked Bakasi village, Beni killing seven people and burning several homes.
• 25^th June- 10 killed and 3 others injured in an ISCAP attack in Sambuku village in Beni.
• 25^th June- militants killed a Congolese army officer with automatic weapons on the road between Kilia and Bweriri in the Ronsuri area in Beni.
• 22^nd June- ISCAP militants targeted Christians with automatic weapons, killing a Congolese policeman and burning 4 houses in the Mabasele area, located west of Oicha City, Beni.
• 22^nd June- 2 people were killed, houses and vehicles burned and shops were robbed in Mabasele in Oicha city, Beni.
• 22^nd June- a vehicle convoy was ambushed in Makisabo village along the Beni-Kasindi road; 5 people were killed and 4 cars burned.
• 18^th June- 2 people were killed and 6 others wounded after an ISCAP cell attacked a passenger bus on Nyamabage-Rusizi road.
• 15^th June- 2 people were killed and at least 20 houses burned by militants in Mambelenga village in Walese Vonkutu, Ituri.
• 15^th June- two people were killed and several homes burned in an attack in Mamiki near Oicha city in Beni.
• 14^th June- a Congolese soldier was killed and his weapon seized following an attack by ISCAP in Tinambo village near Oicha in Beni.
• 13th June- ISCAP DR-Congo attacked a FARDC Camp at Makembe in northern Kivu in the area bordering Uganda.
• 12^th June- at least 10 people were brutally killed with machine guns and 8 motorcycles burned in an attack in Urouro and Opira villages, in the locality of Mayimoya, the territory of Beni.
• 8^th June- A Ugandan Army foot patrol was targeted by ISCAP militants with machine guns in Kenya Mbhuli Village, in the Rwenzori sector, Beni. Several of the soldiers were killed and wounded in the attack.
• 5^th June- At least 20 people were massacred and their houses razed to the ground by ISCAP jihadists in the village of Bwanasura in Otomabere in the territory of Irumu in Ituri Province.
• 4^th June- a Congolese military barracks in Erengeti, Beni was attacked by militants; a rocket launcher, a mortar, and ammunition were seized. The militants also burned the barracks.
• 1^st June- 3 people were killed and 5 houses burned in an ISCAP attack in Kabalwa village in the Rwenzori sector.

SOMALIA

• 3^rd June- a police checkpoint was attacked with a hand grenade in Hilwa, Mogadishu. One person was injured in the attack.

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

MOZAMBIQUE

In Mozambique, attacks appear to indicate that the insurgents are working towards capturing southern territory and closer to Pemba. Pemba has long been considered to be a haven in the province, but the recent bout of armed incursions in surrounding towns and villages has changed the risk status of Pemba. The militants have been moving in smaller cells that are mostly used for stealth operations which often include killings, looting, and arson before retreating to the forest. The recent attacks and propaganda images come as intelligence indicates that the militants have been establishing bases in the forest between Meluco and Macomia districts.

Additionally, contrary to the information released by Mozambique’s official channels, HUMINT indicates that the group is well prepared, with supplies and numbers, and appears to be gearing itself to advance further south into Pemba. Pemba is the main command and logistical hub SAMIM. While the militants appear to be headed south it is crucial to note that with the attention of the allied troops scattered, areas in the north and central that have been liberated from the militants are left vulnerable to resurgence and reoccupation by the militants.

The terror organization which was recently rebranded to Islamic State Mozambique (IS-MOZ) has been making waves with an increased number of attacks across most of the districts in Cabo Delgado. As evidenced by the incident reports herein, the number of attacks has increased with the majority of the attacks being on Christian targets, churches as well as arson attacks on the villages. While on the surface it appears that the militancy is expanding its territory, it is a strategic move by the newly minted IS-MOZ to stretch thin the already inadequate security resources in the province.

In late June Mozambican authorities in Sofala arrested and detained for questioning five individuals; three Somalis and two Kenyans on suspicion of having links to the insurgency in Cabo Delgado. The arrests come as the insurgency is believed to be receiving recruits from across the East African region as reinforcements. Intelligence indicated that in June when the resurgence of IS-MOZ began the militancy was expecting reinforcement from Kenya and DRC and crossing into CD through Mtwara.

In June, Islamic State-MOZ claimed the first attack in Nampula Province which occurred in Mithope village in Memba where at least a dozen militants attacked and looted before retreating. The group tends to conduct such attacks when establishing new territories and as such the attacks are both logistical as well as tactical to test the security forces while at the same time instilling fear among the residents.

It appears that IS-MOZ is working overtime to rebrand as an independent Mozambique province since it has been part of the Central African province. It has been seeking to claim headlines and has received praises from ISIS-Central. It is especially observed in the brutal pictures of attacks in the past few weeks which have heightened the threat by the group and continue to spread fear not only in Cabo Delgado but also in neighboring provinces.

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DRC

Intelligence indicates that the increasing attacks in Ituri are being launched and coordinated from new bases that have since been erected in Monge hill and other strongholds in several villages in Walese Vonkutu chiefdom. ISCAP has set up new positions in the western part in Mutueyi, Kasoko, Akwekwe, Ntume, and Monge on the hill of Butani called Madina 2″.

Tensions continue to rise between Rwanda and DRC as Kinshasa accuses Kigali of deploying at least 500 troops on its soil. The accusation comes amid a sharp deterioration of relations between the countries over the recent resurgence of the M23 militia in the DRC’s volatile east.

MONUSCO provided technical and scientific police in Beni, North Kivu, with equipment to prevent bomb attacks in the city. They include 40 telescopic mirrors for the search and inspection of vehicles but also a hundred portable metal detectors that will aid in the fight against ISCAP.

The East Africa Community (EAC) passed the decision to deploy a Kenya-led regional force to the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to restore peace and stabilize the region. Intelligence Analysts maintain that while the regional force is necessary especially as ISCAP and M23 seem to have resurged, the tensions between DRC and Rwanda could hinder the success of the force. Additionally, in recent years the discontentment of the civilians in North Kivu and Ituri is at an all-time high, and as such a military solution that is not backed by political, social, and reconciliation strategies will almost certainly fail.