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Showing posts from March, 2025

Islamic State Video Shows Christian Prisoners in DRC Allegedly Released After Paying Islamic Tax to the Group

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Video screenshot Bottom Line Up Front On 24 April 2026, Islamic State's official Amaq News Agency released a 1-minute 12-second video showing Christian prisoners in an unknown location in Ituri Province of DRC, before their release after paying Jizya (taxes imposed on non-Muslims who live under Muslim control) to the Islamic State (IS). The IS branch in DRC is Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP).  Video content of ISCAP activity is relatively frequent and the group remains one of the biggest Jihadist threats to Africa. It explicitly states that it purposefully targets Christians in attacks and it is known for targeting what the group calls the "economy/economic activity of Christians" in DRC. This means using tactics such as arson to destroy Christian homes, businesses and vehicles. Their strategies and goals are clearly outlined in a video from September 2025.  In Detail The video shows an ISCAP fighter addressing the group of captured Christians in an unknown...
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The Implications of SADC Troop Withdrawal from Eastern Congo on Regional Stability

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                                                                    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...
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JNIM

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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...
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