Posts

Showing posts from March, 2025

New Tactics: First Known Islamic State Mozambique (IS-M) Attack on Tourist Destination

By -
Image
Authored by:  Cara Rau , Political and Intelligence Analyst focussed on Jihadism and Political Violence  Warning: This report contains descriptions of graphic violence.  Bottom Line Up Front On 30 April 2025, Islamic State Mozambique (IS-M) claimed credit for an attack that targeted the Kambako hunting area of the Chapungu-Kambako Safari (CKS) camp in the Niassa Special Reserve. This is the first known targeting  of a tourist destination in Mozambique by IS-M. Images from Islamic State show at least five victims who appear to be guards or rangers based on their clothing. Additionally, it was confirmed that at least two camp workers were beheaded. The camp was also looted and set alight.  Niassa Reserve is located on the border of the Niassa and Cabo Delgado Provinces. Attacks by the group in Niassa Province are very rare and the IS-M activity is concentrated in Cabo Delgado.  IS-M Communications  It is notable that Islamic State released claims of cre...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Implications of SADC Troop Withdrawal from Eastern Congo on Regional Stability

By -
Image
                                                                    Photo credits: The Chronicle ZW The withdrawal of SADC troops from the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) represents a significant turning point in the conflict dynamics within the region. SADC's military intervention, which has for years remained at the core of containing the activities of armed militias and supporting the government of the DRC. The withdrawal of these troops raises pressing questions about the future of regional stability, security governance, and the broader implications for the DRC and its neighbours. The rationale behind this withdrawal, the immediate security void that it creates, and the potential for increased conflict are all paramount in ascertaining the long-term stability of the region. The SADC and EAC Foreign Minis...
Post a Comment
Read more

JNIM

By -
Image
JNIM Fighters in the Sahel. Photo credits: Long War Journal Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), al-Qaeda's most formidable African affiliate, has evolved into a sophisticated hybrid threat across the Sahel, effectively combining guerrilla warfare,  economic exploitation, and community co-option, generating an estimated annual revenue exceeding $100 million from illicit activities,  and achieving a battlefield lethality surpassing regional military capabilities to control territories larger than Belgium;  this short analysis, drawing upon classified intelligence, defector accounts, and field observations, examines JNIM’s structure and development,  revealing an ideological shift from global jihad to localised legitimacy under Iyad Ag Ghaly, wherein the group strategically exploits ethnic grievances, climate vulnerabilities,  and anti-colonial sentiment, as evidenced by their 2023 "Charter of the Sahel" aiming for an "Islamic...
Post a Comment
Read more