Islamic State – Central Africa Province
The Central Africa Province (abbreviated IS-CAP, also known as Central Africa Wilayah and Wilayat Wasat Ifriqiya) is an administrative division of the Islamic State (IS), a Salafi jihadist militant group and unrecognised quasi-state. As a result of a lack of information, the foundation date and territorial extent of the Central Africa Province are difficult to gauge, while the military strength and activities of the province's affiliates are disputed. The Central Africa Province initially covered all IS activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. In September 2020, during the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, IS-CAP shifted its strategy from raiding to actually occupying territory, and declared the Mozambican town of Mocímboa da Praia its capital. After this point, however, the Mozambican branch declined and was split off from IS-CAP in 2022, becoming a separate IS province.
Islamic State's Central Africa Province | |
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ولاية وسط إفريقية | |
Logo of the Islamic State's Central Africa Province | |
Leaders | Abu Yasir Hassan (Mozambique) Musa Baluku (Congo) |
Dates of operation | 2018(?) – present |
Headquarters | Mocímboa da Praia (2020–2021) |
Active regions | Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda (as insurgent force) |
Ideology | Salafist Jihadist Islamism |
Size | 1,000-1,500 adult males (DRC) Few hundred (Mozambique) |
Part of | Islamic State |
Allies | Ansar al-Sunna Allied Democratic Forces elements |
Opponents | Mozambique South Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Tanzania MONUSCO United States Wagner Group Uganda Rwanda Kenya |
Battles and wars | Kivu conflict Ituri conflict Insurgency in Cabo Delgado |