Congolese militias stoke violence in Africa’s Sahel

Ahmed Adel

Africa’s Sahel region has become a center stage for terrorist organizations, militias and separatists in a number of countries. In addition to Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and other West African countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is also suffering from terrorism.

Congo, which is located in central Africa, is going through much violence in the wake of armed clashes between the rebel groups, which are seeking separation, and the Congolese government. Congo is also suffering from an outbreak of Ebola virus, which killed many people, and terrorist organizations, which include the following:

Mai-Mai militia

Mai-Mai militia was formed in DR Congo to defend the country’s territories against other armed groups and also protect it from the Rwandan forces and other rebel groups. However, some of them took advantage of the war committing crimes such as looting.

Mai-Mai militia has joined forces with gangs which have no specific political objectives. Mai-Mai militia has been active in DR Congo’s eastern provinces near Rwanda, North and South Kivu.

In October 2010, the United Nations forces arrested Colonel Mayele, the commander of Mai-Mai, for mass rapes in North Kivu province.

On February 2, the Mai-Mai militia attacked police stations in Beni, in eastern DR Congo, killing 7 people and wounding 7 others. The militia also carried out a number terrorist attacks in the northeast of the country.

The Allied Democratic Forces

Ugandan Muslim groups, which opposed Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, founded in 1995 the Allied Democratic Forces.

The Allied Democratic Forces, originally located in western Uganda, expanded into DR Congo.

Intellectually, many of the founders of the Allied Democratic Forces embraced the dogmas of Tabligh and Dawah, which is nonviolent. However, later they embraced Salafi jihadi dogmas.

ISIS

The US-based Foreign Policy magazine said that intelligence services had spotted suspicious movements of ISIS in both Congo and Mozambique, after its losses in Syria and Iraq. ISIS cooperated with Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah group in Mozambique, as well as terrorist organizations and rebel elements in DR Congo.

In April 2019, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said that it had expected that ISIS would try to strengthen its presence in Africa after its defeat in Syria and Iraq.

The terrorist group carried out its first attack in DR Congo in April 2019. Two Congolese soldiers a civilian were killed in the attack. Moreover, ISIS group in Mozambique claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 7 people in the north of the country.

ISIS is trying to take advantage of the chaos in DR Congo, where the government is fighting separatists and other armed groups.