INTERPOL, AFRIPOL arrest 37 suspected militants, including Somali operatives, in East Africa crackdown

Wednesday January 29, 2025

The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has confirmed the arrest of 37 suspected terrorists across East Africa in a two-month operation conducted in collaboration with the pan-African police organization AFRIPOL.
Mogadishu (HOL) — A multinational counterterrorism operation led by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL resulted in the arrest of 37 individuals suspected of ties to Al-Shabaab, ISIS, and other extremist groups across eight East African nations, authorities announced Monday. The operation, conducted between November and December 2024, also led to the seizure of small arms, heavy weaponry, and explosives.
Officials said the coordinated crackdown targeted militant networks involved in terrorist financing, radicalization, and recruitment as concerns grow over rising extremism in East Africa.
Among those arrested in Somalia were three individuals, including a woman suspected of manufacturing bombs for Al-Shabaab’s Amniyat intelligence wing. Authorities believe she was responsible for assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used in attacks against security forces and military personnel. Another detainee was an alleged Al-Shabaab fighter accused of carrying out multiple grenade attacks on police stations.
Kenya recorded the largest number of arrests, with 17 suspects detained, including two individuals linked to ISIS. Several others were accused of involvement in terrorism financing, radicalization, and propaganda. Kenya has long been a target of Al-Shabaab, with major attacks such as the 2013 Westgate Mall siege and the 2019 Nairobi DusitD2 hotel attack highlighting the persistent security threat. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), authorities arrested four suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist group affiliated with ISIS, known for child abductions, sexual violence, and mass killings. Security forces also seized and destroyed a missile and an anti-tank weapon. In Tanzania, a suspected ISIS Mozambique member and a Ugandan national attempting to join the group were detained.
The operation was carried out in coordination with law enforcement agencies from eight East African nations, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Participating nations developed intelligence-driven plans, identifying high-value militant targets and key operational locations. INTERPOL and AFRIPOL played a central role in consolidating intelligence and providing logistical support, data analysis, and real-time coordination during the crackdown. “These positive results demonstrate the power of international collaboration in the fight against terrorism,” said Cyril Gout, INTERPOL’s Acting Executive Director.
INTERPOL and AFRIPOL said the mission was part of broader international efforts to dismantle extremist networks operating in the region.
The arrests come as concerns mount over ISIS’s resurgence in East Africa, where the group has sought to expand its influence by exploiting political instability, economic hardships, and porous borders.