General information
Part of Conflict: DR Congo (Zaire): Islamic State
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 2017-10-31
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: In 2017 Bakulu first pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the pledge was accepted by IS in October 2017. The wilayah Central Africa Province was first mentioned by Bagdadhi on 22 August 2018. Although IS probably had a presence in the region from this date, and at least one commander who had pledged allegiance to IS cohabited with ADF (Alliance of Democratic Forces). On 24 July 2019 the leader of ADF Bakulu publicly pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
On a video released on 18 September 2020 Musa Baluku stated “There is no ADF anymore. Allah willing, ADF ceased to exist a long time ago. [...] Currently, we are a province, the Central Africa Province which is one province among the numerous provinces that make up the Islamic State that is under the Caliph and Leader of all Muslims...Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi.”
Date of first use of armed force: 2017-11-03
Comment on date of first use of armed force: The first reported attack after the end of October 2017, when ADF was accepted into IS, occurred on 3 November 2017. On that day IS/ADF abducted civilians in Boikene neighbourhood in Beni.
The first attack claimed by IS occurred on 16 April 2019. In a statement on 18 April in IS's news outlet Amaq its militants said that they had attacked DR Congo army positions at Kamango, a town near the border with Uganda, killing and injuring several security members. On 16 April suspected ADF rebels attacked an FARDC position at Bovata village near Kamango in Beni territory. The attack resulted in the deaths of two FARDC soldiers and three wounded rebels.
First Battle Related Death: 2017-11-22
Comment on First Battle Related Death: The first reported attack resulting in fatalities after the end of October 2017 when ADF was accepted into IS occurred on 22 November 2017. on that day IS attacked the armed forces of the government of DR Congo (FARDC) on the Mbau-Kamango road in Beni territory resulting in one FARDC and one civilian death.
At least two FARDC soldiers died in the ISCAP attack on DR Congo army positions at Bovata village near Kamango in Beni territory in the first attack claimed by IS on 16 April 2019.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2017-12-08
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: Deaths from attacks and clashes with ADF has been included in this dyad from the IS acceptance of the pledge of allegiance to IS by the ADF leader Baluku in October 2017.
After this day ISCAP and DR Congo forces (FARDC) clashed regularly in the Beni territory of Nord Kivu Province. Heavy fighting was reported on 8 December 2017 when IS attacked a MONUSCO operational base at the Semuliki bridge on the Mbau-Kamango road. The attack resulted in more than 25 battle-related fatalities among FARDC, IS and MONUSCO.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1997
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): n/a
Side B (IS): n/a
2014
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): n/a
Side B (IS): n/a
2017
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 96 |
| Best | 96 |
| Low | 96 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Malawi, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania
Side B (IS): n/a
2018
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 389 |
| Best | 378 |
| Low | 275 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Malawi, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania
Side B (IS): n/a
2019
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 348 |
| Best | 335 |
| Low | 292 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Malawi, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania
Side B (IS): n/a
2020
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 702 |
| Best | 644 |
| Low | 641 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Malawi, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania
Side B (IS): n/a
2021
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 640 |
| Best | 616 |
| Low | 588 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania, Government of Kenya, Government of Nepal, Government of Uganda
Side B (IS): n/a
2022
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1005 |
| Best | 919 |
| Low | 903 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Uganda, Government of Kenya, Government of Tanzania, Government of Nepal, Government of South Africa, Government of Malawi, Government of Ukraine, Government of Indonesia, Government of Burundi, Government of South Sudan
Side B (IS): n/a
2023
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1313 |
| Best | 348 |
| Low | 338 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Uganda, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania, Government of Indonesia, Government of Kenya, Government of Nepal, Government of Bangladesh
Side B (IS): n/a
2024
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 251 |
| Best | 150 |
| Low | 148 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Uganda, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania, Government of Malawi
Side B (IS): n/a
2025
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 106 |
| Best | 36 |
| Low | 32 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Uganda, Government of South Africa, Government of Tanzania, Government of Indonesia, Government of Kenya, Government of Nepal
Side B (IS): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1997 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2014 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2017 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The conflict in DR Congo over the Islamic State broke out in 2017 after ADF the main 'Islamic' outfit in the region had pledge of allegiance to the IS and the pledge had been accepted by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. As ADF transformed into IS the violence on the ground continued unabated with ambushes and attacks on the army. Clashes was reported close to the Mbau-Kamango road and around Eringeti in Beni territory, two areas where ADF had had a long presence and activity.
On 22 December 2017,Uganda launched operation Tuugo targeting IS with aerial bombardment in the areas of Erengeti Triangle near the DR Congo - Uganda border.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2018 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: IS continued to constitute a substantial problem, attacking both military and civilian targets all though the year. The government of DR Congo launched new military operations against the IS in January 2018. The operations targeted two main IS bases one between Mbau, Eringeti, and Kamango, and the other around Mwalika. The operation stalled in May 2018 and in early September the first joint operation between MONUSCO and the FARDC took place in Mayangose.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2019 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: DR Congo's government launched a new offensive against Islamic State in Central Africa Province (ISCAP) on 30 October 2019 with an aim of capturing the main ISCAP camps in the Beni territory of DR Congo primarily the main ISCAP camp known as the “Madina complex. 22 000 Congolese army (FARDC) troops were deployed on the front-line against ISCAP.
However, even though the group lost some of its bases they could resettle in new areas of DR Congo and continued to successfully carry out ambushes against the FARDC. ISCAP also carried out large-scale civilian attacks against civilians.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2020 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2020, the violence with ISCAP escalated. In January 2020, the Congolese army (FARDC) again captured camp Madina which has been one of ISCAP's headquarters. ISCAP subsequently scattered into smaller units but continued attacking both FARDC and civilians. In the year ISCAP was increasingly reported in the border area with Ituri as well as west of Beni. After the summer ISCAP activities again increased in the area around Madina from where they had been dislodged in January. On 20 October 2020, more than 1335 prisoners escaped after the famous prison attack in Beni. And at the end of the year insecurity in the south-east of Beni town increased as the group tried to gain control there during the harvest season for cocoa and other agricultural produce.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2021 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2021, the conflict with ISCAP continued. on 6 May the Government of DR Congo placed Ituri and Nord Kivu under a state of siege. The army continued to step up their attacks against IS offensives against strongholds. At the end of November, the Ugandan army entered the DR Congo to participate in the conflict against IS. The joint Uganda DR Congo forces did not manage to contain the IS violence. Their attacks forced IS to scatter further and widened the IS's area of activity.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2022 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2022, Uganda and DR Congo continued their joint offensive against IS. The conflict with IS saw a slight decrease in fatality numbers. The government had to redeploy troops fighting against IS to the DR Congo: Governmentconflict after an escalation of the conflict with M23. IS continued to increase their area of operations.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2023 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2023, Uganda and DR Congo continued their joint offensive against IS. The conflict with IS saw a decrease in fatality numbers in the year. IS continued to increase their area of operations and carried out their attacks in the Beni Mambasa and Irumu territories in the eastern parts of DR Congo.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2024 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2024, Uganda and DR Congo continued their joint offensive against IS. The conflict with IS saw a decrease in fatality numbers in the year. The government had to redeploy troops fighting against IS to the DR Congo: Government conflict after an escalation of the conflict with M23. IS continued to increase their area of operations and carried out their attacks in the Beni, Lubero, Mambasa and Irumu territories in the eastern parts of DR Congo.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2025 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2025, violence in eastern DR Congo involving IS and the Government of DR Congo, supported by Ugandan forces (UPDF), remained concentrated in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, particularly in Beni, Lubero, Mambasa, Irumu, and Bafwasende territories. IS continued to conduct attacks against both security forces and civilians, including ambushes on FARDC and UPDF patrols, attacks on military barracks, and improvised explosive device (IED) incidents along key rural routes. Reported incidents included the killing of soldiers in joint patrols, destruction of military vehicles, and repeated attacks on civilian targets such as villages, farms, and transport routes.
Military operations by FARDC and UPDF under Operation Shujaa continued throughout 2025, including airstrikes, ground offensives, and patrol-based engagements aimed at dismantling IS strongholds and preventing movement along key corridors.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO