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Joint Interpol-Afripol raid in East Africa captures 37 suspected terrorists amid rising ISIS threat
37 suspected members linked to major terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al-Shabaab, were arrested in a joint counter-terrorism operation with Afripol, international police agency Interpol announced on Monday (27 January).
ISIS, Al-Shabaab and other terrorist organizations, which have strongholds in some countries on the continent, have suffered significant setbacks following a large-scale Interpol raid that aimed to reinforce border security measures and prevent terrorist activity in East Africa. The France-based global policing agency said the arrests carried out between November and December 2024 took place across Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, Tanzania, and other four East African countries, in operations coordinated with the pan-African police body Afripol. Authorities also seized a significant amount of weapons, including both small arms and heavy artillery.
According to Interpol, the series of raids were successful owing to the active cooperation and support of the participating nations. Interpol and Afripol consolidated and analyzed the crucial information, including detailed operational plans and intelligence reports, provided by participating nations, which facilitated a significant exchange of criminal intelligence, enhancing the effectiveness of the operation. Among those arrested were also a suspected ISIS Mozambique member in Tanzania, two alleged ISIS members in Kenya, and four alleged members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the DRC. “East Africa’s political instability, porous borders, and socioeconomic challenges make it a fertile ground for terrorist activity,” said Cyril Gout, Interpol’s acting executive director, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts.