YDS 2021 in Review

C E N T R A L A F R I C A N
R E P U B L I C
The civil war within the Central African
Republic (CAR) continued during 2021,
between government forces and rebels.
The CAR conflict is notable for the strong
Russian presence, with commentators
noting the use of the Wagner Group as a
means of furthering Russian interests in
the region. The Wagner Group is a
network of military businesses and
mercenaries, who provide arms and
military advice for clients. There are
strong connections between the Wagner
Group and the Russian government,
although this is denied by Russia.
Although President Touadera declared a
unilateral ceasefire in October, it did not
even last till the end of the year. Violence
has begun once again, as early December
saw over 30 people, mainly civilians, killed
in a rebel attack. It is expected that
conditions will decline in 2022, as the UN
Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) anticipates
63% of the population will require
humanitarian assistance and protection.
D E M O C R A T I C R E P U B L I C
O F T H E C O N G O ( D R C ) &
U G A N D A
The DRC has continued to witness
violence, predominantly in the volatile
eastern region of the country.
With 4.5 million internally displaced
persons (IDP), and an influx of refugees
from the CAR, the governance capacity of
the DRC is severely hindered. A notable
development in 2021 has been the
presence of Ugandan troops, who are
fighting alongside DRC forces to destroy
the ISIS-linked Allied Democratic Forces
(ADF).
The ADF, which is one of the deadliest
insurgent groups in the DRC’s east, has
launched numerous attacks on civilians in
both the DRC and Uganda, including a
twin suicide bombing in Uganda’s capital
of Kampala in mid-November. The group
has allegedly killed 6,000 civilians since
2013.
M O Z A M B I Q U E
In March and April, ISIS militants took
over the town of Palma, with a population
of approximately 75,000. Located near
French-owned gas projects, the
insurgents held the town for a few weeks,
murdering almost 100 civilians and
displacing 40,000.
Although the town was recaptured by
Mozambican forces, with aid from other
nations such as Rwanda and private
military contractors from South Africa,
the attack was a major success for the
insurgent group. Violence is still common
in northern Mozambique, with attacks
now spreading into southern Tanzania as
well.
P A G E 9 2 | 2 0 2 1 B Y Y D S