Over the past two months, 37 individuals suspected of terrorism-related activities have been arrested across East Africa, according to Interpol. The arrests, which occurred in November and December 2024, were part of coordinated operations involving Interpol and Afripol, the pan-African police network.
Among those detained, several are believed to have ties to the Islamic State (ISIS). The arrests were spread across multiple countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. Notably, Kenyan authorities apprehended 17 individuals, including two suspected ISIS members, while Tanzanian officials detained a suspected member of ISIS-affiliated militants operating in Mozambique.
These operations come at a time of heightened concern over the potential resurgence of ISIS in Africa, particularly following the weakening of ISIS operations in Syria. Experts have warned of the group’s increasing focus on establishing a presence in Africa, capitalizing on regional instability and ongoing conflicts.
The collaboration between Interpol and Afripol aims to disrupt terror networks and prevent the spread of extremist activities across the continent. These joint efforts are vital to addressing the growing security threat posed by terrorist groups in East Africa, a region increasingly affected by militant violence.
Image by Dmytro Konovalenko on Interpol-stop
