Musa Baluku, the leader of the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (known locally as the Allied Democratic Forces), has joins other infamous Sunni jihadists actively sought after by the United States government.
U.S. Special Operations Forces killed Bilal al-Sudani, a key Islamic State operative responsible for coordinating the group’s finances and activities across central, eastern, and southern Africa (and beyond).
The raid also marks the first time that the Allied Democratic Forces, the local name for the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province, has struck inside Butembo city.
The Islamic State’s Central African representative, locally known as the Allied Democratic Forces, recently re-pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State’s new overall leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Quraishi.
Following a delay of over two weeks, the Islamic State has officially taken credit for the Christmas day suicide bombing in eastern Congo. The bombing is just the fourth such operation conducted by the Islamic State’s local wing.
While most of the Islamic State’s operations have been based inside Beni territory of Congo’s North Kivu Province, it has steadily expanded into neighboring Ituri Province since June.
Both wings collectively represent the Islamic State’s Central African Province, which the UN recently noted as one of the Islamic State’s most ‘dependable’ affiliates.
Both the Islamic State and its local affiliate, the Allied Democratic Forces, have linked yesterday’s prison break in DRC to a recent speech by the official Islamic State spokesman.
At least 1,300 inmates were freed in an operation conducted by the Allied Democratic Forces, the Islamic State’s local affiliate.
The Islamic State’s Central African Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen a rapid expansion in claimed activity in recent months. At the same time, it has tried to exploit the global coronavirus pandemic to recruit individuals.
The Islamic State has claimed at least nine attacks in the DRC since April.
The photos show more evidence of ties between militants in the DRC and the Islamic State.
Today’s claim marks the first time the Islamic State has claimed any activity in Central Africa.
The video reportedly shows a nascent Islamic State-loyal group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its authenticity cannot be independently verified by FDD’s Long War Journal.
UN Security Council sanctions Islamist ADF in Congo – diplomats
