Latest news with #ISIL
Al Jazeera
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Is ISIL a growing threat in the DR Congo and East Africa?
In the early hours of Sunday, July 27, armed fighters attacked a Catholic church in the Komanda region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where about a hundred people had gathered for a night vigil. Dozens of people were killed and others taken captive in the assault, which drew outrage and condemnation from the United Nations and the Vatican. Women, men and at least nine children were reported to be among the victims of the Saint Anuarite church attack, according to Congolese officials, while several children aged between 12 and 14 were kidnapped. Houses and shops near the church were also attacked and burned, with authorities finding more bodies there. At least 43 people were killed overall. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – an armed group operating in the border regions linking the DRC to neighbouring Uganda, and which has pledged allegiance to ISIL (ISIS) – has since claimed the attack in a Telegram post. It is one of several recent attacks from a group that experts say is staging a major resurgence in a country already fragile from armed fighting. It also comes soon after the DRC government signed key peace roadmap agreements with both Rwanda and the M23 rebel group that has been advancing in the country's east, raising questions about the timing and motivation behind the violence. 'These targeted attacks against defenceless civilians, particularly in places of worship, are not only appalling, but also in violation of all human rights standards and international humanitarian law,' Vivian van de Perre, acting head of MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, said in a statement following Sunday's assault. Pope Leo, too, expressed sorrow a day after the attack on the parish, which had been celebrating its 25th anniversary. 'His Holiness implores God that the blood of these martyrs may be a seed of peace, reconciliation, brotherhood and love for all the Congolese people,' wrote Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, in a telegram to DRC's Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu. Making of the ADF Sunday's attack represents just one of several deadly ADF assaults in the DRC's east in recent months. The ADF, also referred to by some experts and institutions as ISIS-Central Africa (IS-CA), originally began as a rebel group in Uganda in 1994, where it accused the government in Kampala of persecuting Muslims. In 2002, the ADF crossed the border into eastern DRC after offensives by the Ugandan army saw it lose its footing. The group attacked civilians in both countries from its base in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, with researchers noting that its tactics became more violent over the years. Jamil Mukulu, the group's founder, was arrested in Tanzania in 2015, leading to internal disruption. Under a new leader, 48-year-old Musa Seka Baluku, the ADF declared allegiance to the global armed network, ISIL, in 2019. Although ISIL no longer has the ability to hold ground or control a caliphate in the Middle East, experts say it has devolved its structure, focusing on regional affiliates, particularly in parts of Africa. A UN Experts Group report found that ISIL central financially supports the ADF, whose force of about 1,000 to 1,500 members is usually armed with small arms, mortars, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). The ADF reportedly controls camps with internal security services, clinics, prisons and schools for children. 'The group intends to advance extreme Islamic ideology,' Nico Minde, an analyst with the Institute for Security Studies, told Al Jazeera. 'It is [also] believed that it is seeking revenge for military offensives by the Congolese army, Ugandan forces and MONUSCO peacekeepers,' he said. It is unclear how many civilians have died in ADF attacks, but experts agree it likely runs into the hundreds, if not thousands, in its nearly 30 years of existence. The United States, which designated ADF/IS-CA a 'terror' organisation in 2021, describes it as 'one of the most lethal terrorist groups in Africa' based on the number of civilian deaths linked to its members. An earlier reprisal assault by the ADF between July 8 and 9 saw 41 civilians killed in Irumu territory, Ituri, according to MONUSCO. In May, it was North Kivu's Babili sector that was attacked, with 18 civilians killed. The group also claimed a separate attack in January on the town of Lubero in North Kivu, with 41 people killed and 11 kidnapped. Multiple armed groups in the eastern DRC The ADF is one of a multitude of armed groups – some experts say about 100 – operating in the mineral-rich but poorly governed eastern DRC. The region is one of the most complex conflict zones in the world. ADF's attacks in July came as the DRC was enjoying some relief from the M23 rebels, arguably the strongest of all the armed groups. M23, the UN says, is backed by Rwanda. Aiming to take power in Kinshasa, it launched lightning offensives in January and seized vast swaths of territory in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. Thousands died and hundreds of thousands were displaced in the six-month war. In July, the US and Qatar brokered DRC peace efforts with Rwanda and M23, respectively, leading to a ceasefire. Minde of the ISS said the ADF is likely taking advantage of the military resources diverted to confront M23, resulting in more frequent attacks since January. 'Strategically, this allows them to freely move in Ituri and North Kivu while attention remains fixed on the M23 conflict,' he said. The group's focus on rural communities, Minde added, was to foster fear and dependence, facilitate control over land and illicit resources, and to find more recruits. Combined, M23 and the ADF have wrought the most havoc in eastern DRC, with some research suggesting that there might have been a non-aggression pact between the two at some point. The Armed Conflict and Location Event Data Project (ACLED) noted in a June report that M23 and ADF/IS-CA action between January and March 2025 killed 1,600 people, making that quarter the deadliest since 2002, when the DRC was in the throes of a civil war. Uganda's stakes in the ADF battle Uganda poses the main challenge to the ADF. Some 2,000-4,000 Ugandan soldiers have deployed in the DRC since November 2021, where they lead Operation Shujaa, which also involves the Congolese army and MONUSCO forces. Kampala's decision to deploy followed a series of bomb attacks in Uganda that year. Since 2021, two leaders of separate ADF factions – Salim Mohammed and Benjamin Kisokeranio – have been captured. However, there are concerns that Uganda is expanding into territory not affected by ADF attacks. Due to the DRC's civil war history, which saw countries neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda take over Congolese territory and reportedly steal minerals, foreign armies on DRC soil remain a testy subject in Kinshasa. In June, the Ugandan army spokesperson, Felix Kulayigye, defended his government's stance while speaking to Al Jazeera, admitting that the country needed to protect commercial interests in the DRC. Uganda exports goods like palm oil, cement, and refined petroleum to the DRC, and is Kinshasa's biggest trading partner in the sub-region. 'Who is consuming Uganda's products?' Kulayigye asked Al Jazeera at the time. 'Can commerce take place where there is instability? If we have commercial interests in eastern DRC, are those protectable or not?' Already, Uganda has a negative reputation in the DRC. Kampala allegedly backed the M23 armed group by allowing the group passage into Congolese territory, according to a UN expert group report. President Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda's Paul Kagame are longtime allies. Back in 2022, the Ugandan army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also President Museveni's son, openly expressed support for M23 on the social media site, X. The ADF's increasing attacks could lead to rising insecurity in the fragile DRC, and across the sub-region, Minde of ISS said. '[ADF] might want to take advantage of the pacifist moment following the US and Qatar-brokered peace deal, to remind the world of its existence,' he added.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Diplomatic victory for India? TRF named in key UNSC report; published Pahalgam attack site photo, claimed responsibility twice
NEW DELHI: The Resistance Front (TRF), which carried out the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, was mentioned in a Monitoring Team's report under the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. According to government sources, the report explicitly recorded the involvement of The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy outfit of LeT, in the Pahalgam terror attack of 22 April which claimed 26 lives. "The paragraph on TRF and the Pahalgam terror attack is the first part under the South Asia Section and the largest. It is in sync with what we have been stating on the links between the TRF and the LeT and its support from Pakistan," sources said. This also marks the first mention of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in the report since 2019. What the report says According to the UN report, TRF had twice claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack and 'published a photograph of the attack site.' The team in a report also cited assertions that the attack could not have happened without the support of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). 'The attack was claimed that same day by The Resistance Front (TRF), who in parallel published a photograph of the attack site,' said the report, which was submitted to the 1267 ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda sanctions committee of the UN Security Council. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo The report said that the 'claim of responsibility' by TRF was 'repeated the following day. On 26 April, however, TRF retracted its claim. There was no further communication from TRF, and no other group claimed responsibility,' it said. The report cited a member state which said that 'the attack could not have happened without Lashkar-e-Taiba support, and that there was a relationship between LeT and TRF. Another member state said that the attack was carried out by TRF, which was synonymous with LeT." Why it matters? This is a major diplomatic victory for India as all decisions of the 1267 Sanctions Committee, including MT reports, are adopted by consensus by the members of the Security Council. "The mention of the TRF in the MT Report is how the world views Pakistan's lies and deceitful narrative. Pakistan's strategy of plausible deniability — using secular and modern names like 'The Resistance Front' and 'People Against Fascist Front' for its jihadi proxies to divert attention from LeT/JeM and give an indigenous appearance to its terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir — now stands punctured," sources said. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had earlier boasted in the Parliament about forcing the removal of references to TRF in the UNSC press statement condemning the Pahalgam attack. This comes after India provided detailed input on TRF and other Pakistan-sponsored terror proxies to the MT since December 2023. "In 2024, on two occasions, MEA had provided inputs to the MT on the activities of the TRF and its linkages to the LeT. An MEA-led inter-ministerial delegation briefed the MT and other senior UN officials in New York in May 2024 and also shared a dossier on TRF," sources said. "Resident Missions in New Delhi and Indian Missions in key capitals ensured sustained follow-up, backed by parliamentary delegations raising TRF's role in interactions abroad," they added. Earlier in July, US designated TRF a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Highlighting TRF's involvement in multiple attacks against India, including the deadly Pahalgam attack, the State Department said the decision reflected the Trump administration's "commitment to protecting US national security, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice following the Pahalgam attack". The Resistance Front was formed in 2019 as a proxy of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and was banned by india in 2023. It has been actively involved in recruiting youth online, facilitating the infiltration of terrorists, and smuggling weapons and narcotics from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir. TRF had also claimed responsibility for several attacks targeting civilians, political leaders, and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Its founder and commander, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, has been designated a terrorist under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
ISIL claims responsibility for deadly church attack in eastern DR Congo
The armed group ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack that a United Nations mission says killed at least 43 worshippers during a night mass at a church in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The attack, which took place at the church in Ituri province's Komanda city, saw members of the ISIL-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killing people with guns and machetes, and taking captives. ISIL said on its Telegram channel that rebels had killed some 45 churchgoers and burned dozens of homes and shops. The UN mission known as MONUSCO said at least 43 people had been killed, including 19 women and nine children, and condemned the attack. Pope Leo sent a message of condolences to the bereaved families and the Christian community who lost their relatives and friends in the assault, saying he would pray for them. The Congolese government condemned the church attack as 'horrific', while the military described it as a 'large-scale massacre' carried out in revenge for recent security operations targeting the ADF. However, M23, another Congolese rebel group, backed by Rwanda, used the attack to accuse the government of 'blatant incompetence' in attempts to protect citizens. MONUSCO said the church killings will 'exacerbate an already extremely worrying humanitarian situation in the province'. The church attack on Sunday was the latest in a series of deadly ADF assaults on civilians, including an attack earlier this month when the group killed 66 people in Ituri province. The attack happened on July 11, at about 1am (00:00 GMT) in the Irumu area, near the border with Uganda. The ADF originates in neighbouring Uganda, but is now based in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. It mounts frequent attacks, further destabilising a region where many armed groups compete for influence and resources. The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with President Yoweri Museveni. In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to the neighbouring DRC and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to ISIL. The ADF's leadership says it is fighting to form a government in the East African country. The DRC army has long struggled against the rebel group, and it is now also grappling with a complex web of attacks since renewed hostilities with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
Vancouver Sun
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Quebec woman pleads guilty to joining ISIL, sentenced to one day in custody
MONTREAL — A Quebec woman who travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and marry one of its fighters, has pleaded guilty to one count of participating in the activities of a terrorist group. A Quebec court judge agreed to a joint submission from the federal Crown and lawyers for Oumaima Chouay — she will serve one day in custody in addition to the 110 days she spent in pretrial detention, and be on probation for three years. As part of her guilty plea, three other terror-related charges were stayed. Federal prosecutors say Chouay is the first person convicted in Canada for providing support to a terror group by marrying a fighter. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada said independent experts who examined Chouay, 29, over the past 30 months concluded that her risk of recidivism and her dangerousness to society are very low. The RCMP share that assessment. 'The recommended sentence here takes into consideration the early, ongoing, demonstrated and independently evaluated steps Ms. Chouay has taken to demonstrate remorse, take responsibility, commit to fundamental change and a rejection of extremist ideology,' George Dolhai, director of public prosecutions, said in a statement. 'This addresses the ultimate goal of protecting the community.' Chouay admitted to joining the Islamic State, marrying a fighter and having two children with him to be raised under ISIL doctrine. She is not suspected of having participated in combat or terrorist activities. Chouay was charged after being repatriated to Canada from a detention camp in Syria in October 2022. She was granted bail in January 2023 under strict conditions, and authorities say she has attended depolarization therapy and will continue to do so. The RCMP investigation began several years earlier in 2014, when she left Canada as a teenager for Turkey before crossing into Syria. '(She) knew that by joining the Islamic State, she would be participating in the activities of this terrorist group,' court documents say. '(She) knew, at the time of joining the Islamic State, the various roles of women within this terrorist group, including assistance with recruitment on social media, the creation and distribution of propaganda, as well as a role in supporting fighters and founding a family raised in accordance with the values of the Islamic State.' Less than a month after her arrival in the Middle East, she was married to a German national who had also travelled to the region to join ISIL. She lived in Iraq and Syria during her time with ISIL, giving birth to her first child in November 2015. Court documents say that before the fall of the Islamic State, she had told her mother she wanted to leave. In November 2017, Chouay and her young daughter attempted to flee but were captured by Syrian Democratic Forces. She gave birth to her second child between November 2017 and January 2018. She was held under harsh conditions at the Roj camp in northeastern Syria in a region recaptured from ISIL. That's where she remained until her repatriation to Canada, along with her two children and another Canadian woman, Kimberly Polman, from Squamish, B.C. Polman is charged with leaving Canada to participate in a terrorist group's activities, and participation in the activity of a terrorist group. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Global News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Quebec woman who joined ISIL pleads guilty to supporting terror group
A Quebec woman who travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and marry one of its fighters, has pleaded guilty to one count of participating in the activities of a terrorist group. A Quebec court judge agreed to a joint submission from the federal Crown and lawyers for Oumaima Chouay — she will serve one day in custody in addition to the 110 days she spent in pretrial detention and be on probation for three years. As part of her guilty plea, three other terror-related charges were stayed. Federal prosecutors say Chouay is the first person convicted in Canada for providing support to a terror group by marrying a fighter. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada said independent experts who examined Chouay, 29, over the past 30 months concluded that her risk of recidivism and her dangerousness to society are very low. The RCMP share that assessment. Story continues below advertisement 'The recommended sentence here takes into consideration the early, ongoing, demonstrated and independently evaluated steps Ms. Chouay has taken to demonstrate remorse, take responsibility, commit to fundamental change and a rejection of extremist ideology,' George Dolhai, director of public prosecutions, said in a statement. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'This addresses the ultimate goal of protecting the community.' Chouay admitted to joining the Islamic State, marrying a fighter and having two children with him to be raised under ISIL doctrine. She is not suspected of having participated in combat or terrorist activities. Chouay was charged after being repatriated to Canada from a detention camp in Syria in October 2022. She was granted bail in January 2023 under strict conditions, and authorities say she has attended depolarization therapy and will continue to do so. The RCMP investigation began several years earlier in 2014, when she left Canada as a teenager for Turkey before crossing into Syria. '(She) knew that by joining the Islamic State, she would be participating in the activities of this terrorist group,' court documents say. '(She) knew, at the time of joining the Islamic State, the various roles of women within this terrorist group, including assistance with recruitment on social media, the creation and distribution of propaganda, as well as a role in supporting fighters and founding a family raised in accordance with the values of the Islamic State.' Story continues below advertisement Less than a month after her arrival in the Middle East, she was married to a German national who had also travelled to the region to join ISIL. She lived in Iraq and Syria during her time with ISIL, giving birth to her first child in November 2015. Court documents say that before the fall of the Islamic State, she had told her mother she wanted to leave. In November 2017, Chouay and her young daughter attempted to flee but were captured by Syrian Democratic Forces. She gave birth to her second child between November 2017 and January 2018. She was held under harsh conditions at the Roj camp in northeastern Syria in a region recaptured from ISIL. That's where she remained until her repatriation to Canada, along with her two children and another Canadian woman, Kimberly Poman, from Squamish, B.C. Poman is charged with leaving Canada to participate in a terrorist group's activities, and participation in the activity of a terrorist group.
