Interpol announced Monday that 37 suspected terrorists were arrested across East Africa in November and December, in operations coordinated with the pan-African police body Afripol.
Among the arrested were two alleged ISIS members in Kenya and a suspected ISIS Mozambique member in Tanzania. Additional arrests occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
The crackdown comes amid fears of an ISIS resurgence following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. On January 1, a U.S. Army veteran drove a truck with an ISIS flag into crowds in New Orleans, killing 15.
“East Africa’s political instability, porous borders, and socioeconomic challenges make it a fertile ground for terrorist activity,” said Cyril Gout of Interpol, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts.
(Africa News)