Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-Linked Groups Escalate Attacks in Africa

Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-Linked Groups Escalate Attacks in Africa
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Islamist militant groups across Africa have escalated their campaigns, targeting both civilians and critical economic infrastructure in an effort to destabilize governments and consolidate their power.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a rebel group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), has killed at least 61 civilians in a brutal attack on a funeral. According to Reuters, the militants used machetes and guns in the assault on Ntoyo village, which also resulted in dozens of houses being burned. The ADF, also known as Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP), claimed responsibility for the attack and stated it had killed nearly 100 people. This massacre is one of the deadliest by the group in recent months, adding to the instability in the mineral-rich eastern Congo.

In a separate development, a West African armed group with links to al-Qaeda, the Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), is targeting Mali’s economy through a fuel blockade. According to The Associated Press, the group set fire to fuel tankers coming from Ivory Coast. This attack follows a public video announcement by JNIM’s spokesperson declaring a ban on fuel imports from neighboring countries. Experts say the blockade is a significant development, as Mali is entirely dependent on these imports for its fuel needs. This new tactic of targeting economic infrastructure indicates the group’s growing capability to “wreak havoc” and exert more pressure on governments in the region.