Democratic Republic of the Congo
Overview: More than a dozen significant armed groups and about 100 criminal gangs and local militias operate in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). ISIS maintains links with local affiliate ISIS-DRC, locally known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and Madina at
Tauheed Wau Mujahedeen. The United States designated ISIS-DRC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in March 2021.
Before pledging allegiance to ISIS in 2019, the ADF had operated in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo for years. They are known for large-scale, systemic violence against civilians and asymmetric attacks against the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC). In 2021, Democratic Republic of the Congo security forces arrested Burundian, Jordanian, Kenyan, Rwandan, Tanzanian, and Ugandan ISIS-DRC suspects, in addition to Congolese.
2021 Terrorist Incidents: According to the UN, in 2021 ISIS-DRC allegedly injured at least 257 people, abducted 1,129, and killed at least 1,120 people, a 52 percent increase in such violence over 2020. ISIS-DRC primarily targets civilians in large-scale attacks, but it also targets the FARDC and UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (known as MONUSCO) Peacekeepers.
In 2021, there were notable changes in ISIS-DRC’s tactics and weapons. The group’s push north into Ituri Province and west in North Kivu Province throughout 2021 enlarged its operating area, making it less predictable and stretching Congolese security resources. Major attacks on main roads were intended to disrupt transit of goods, people, and security forces. While ISIS-DRC continued to use rudimentary IEDs in a defensive manner, in June the organization deployed multiple IEDs in Beni city, including its first suicide bombing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These devices employed a more sophisticated design than previously seen, suggesting outside expertise.
Since the onset of joint FARDC-Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) military operations against ISIS-DRC on November 30, the group is believed to be operating in several decentralized and mobile groups.
Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: The Democratic Republic of the Congo has no comprehensive CT legislation. Its National Assembly passed a draft CT bill in 2018 that stalled in the Senate. The Democratic Republic of the Congo shares some 6,835 miles of land, lake, and river borders with nine countries but lacks the capacity to effectively patrol them. The border authority, the Directorate General of Migration, uses the IOM Migration Information and Data Analysis System (or MIDAS) at only a fraction of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s more than 400 official border crossings.
Countering the Financing of Terrorism: The government made efforts to strengthen its AML/CFT framework, although it still lacks resources and capacity. Notably, under new leadership, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Financial Intelligence Unit (known as
CENAREF) revitalized engagement with international partners. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a member of GABAC, the Task Force on Money Laundering in Central Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo government introduced a bill in 2021 to make the Democratic Republic of the Congo an Associate Member of the policy of CEMAC, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, on AML/CFT.
Countering Violent Extremism: There were no significant changes in 2021.
International and Regional Cooperation: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a member of the Global Defeat-ISIS Coalition and participated in the June Defeat-ISIS Ministerial in Rome, and the December Africa Focus Group meeting in Brussels. In late November, President Tshisekedi authorized the UPDF to intervene in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to combat ISIS-DRC and to conduct joint UPDF-FARDC operations.
In 2021, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was a member of the Southern African Development Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. President Tshisekedi held the annual rotating chairmanship of the African Union in 2021.