Friday July 28, 2023
Washington (HOL) - The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the imposition of sanctions on Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the head of the finance office of the Somalia-based affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), on Thursday, citing his critical role in the delivery of foreign fighters, supplies, and ammunition on behalf of ISIS-Somalia.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Yusuf as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in the wake of OFAC's November 2022 sanctions on a transnational ISIS-Somalia weapons trafficking network and senior members of the terrorist group.
OFAC's latest designation also follows a U.S. military action in January this year that targeted and killed the Somalia-based ISIS leader Suhayl Salim Abd El-Rahman, more commonly known as Bilal al-Sudani.
Yusuf, who has led the finance office of ISIS-Somalia since late 2019, has been directly implicated in the delivery of foreign fighters, supplies, and ammunition on behalf of ISIS. The OFAC's action seeks to curb the activities of ISIS-Somalia, which is known to generate significant revenue through extortion and acts as a hub for disbursing funds and guidance to ISIS branches and networks across Africa.
"Terrorist groups, like ISIS-Somalia, exploit institutional vulnerabilities to finance their activities. The sanctions imposed today show our commitment to supporting our partners, including the Federal Government of Somalia, in their efforts to counter terrorist financing and enhance national and regional stability and security," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in a statement.
Under these sanctions, any U.S. property or assets linked to Yusuf are now blocked and must be reported to OFAC. This also means that any transactions within the U.S. involving Yusuf's property or assets are generally banned. Financial institutions or others dealing with Yusuf could face sanctions or legal actions.
According to the U.S., in the first half of 2022 alone, ISIS-Somalia amassed nearly $2 million by extorting payments from local businesses, related imports, livestock, and agriculture. The group's financial activities, leveraging local communities and financial institutions, pose a significant threat to regional stability.
This sanction comes amidst rising concerns over the continued existence and activities of the Islamic State in Somalia (ISS) or Abnaa ul-Calipha, which operates primarily in the mountainous areas of Puntland, Somalia. The ISS, estimated to have up to 300 active fighters, has been responsible for several terrorist attacks throughout Somalia.