WASHINGTON — At this time, the U.S. Division of the Treasury’s Workplace of International Property Management (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the pinnacle of the finance workplace of the Somalia-based affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), designating him as a Specifically Designated International Terrorist (SDGT).
Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf has performed a key function within the supply of overseas fighters, provides, and ammunition on behalf of ISIS-Somalia, which serves as a hub for disbursing funds and steering to ISIS branches and networks throughout the continent. ISIS-Somalia generates a lot of its income by means of extortion, particularly concentrating on native communities for cash and recruits, usually below the specter of violence.
“Terrorist teams, and ISIS-Somalia particularly, search to take advantage of institutional vulnerabilities to finance their actions. The sanctions imposed at present display the U.S. dedication to leveraging our authorities in help of our companions, together with the Federal Authorities of Somalia, of their efforts to counter terrorist financing and strengthen nationwide and regional stability and safety,” stated Beneath Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Monetary Intelligence Brian E. Nelson after assembly with authorities officers and the Somali personal sector in Mogadishu.
At this time’s motion builds on OFAC’s earlier designations in November 2022 of a transnational ISIS-Somalia weapons trafficking community and senior members of the terrorist group. It additionally follows U.S. army motion in January of this 12 months that focused and killed Somalia-based ISIS chief Suhayl Salim Abd El-Rahman, extra generally referred to as Bilal al-Sudani.
ISIS FINANCING IN SOMALIA
ISIS-Somalia has continued to facilitate monetary transfers, together with by means of cell cash, to help ISIS’s destabilizing actions throughout Africa. ISIS-Somalia has acquired most of its income — amounting to a whole bunch of hundreds of {dollars} per thirty days — from the extortion of economic establishments, cell cash service suppliers, and different native companies, most of which had been situated within the Port of Bosaso within the Bari area, Somalia. ISIS has moved these funds by way of money transfers, and cash laundering by means of companies, hawalas, banks, and cell cash transfers inside Somalia. Within the first half of 2022, ISIS-Somalia generated practically $2 million by accumulating extortion funds from native companies, associated imports, livestock, and agriculture. In 2021, ISIS-Somalia generated an estimated $2.5 million in income. ISIS-Somalia is among the most vital ISIS associates in Africa, producing income for ISIS to disburse branches and networks throughout the continent.
Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf has served as the pinnacle of ISIS-Somalia’s finance workplace since at the very least late 2019. Yusuf, a key senior member of ISIS-Somalia, meets with and reviews to different ISIS leaders in Somalia, together with ISIS al-Karrar workplace emir Abdiqadir Mumin and ISIS-Somalia emir Abdirahman Fahiye Isse Mohamud, whom the Division of State and OFAC designated in 2016 and 2022, respectively. Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf has additionally directed the supply of overseas fighters, provides, and ammunition on behalf of ISIS. Yusuf was partially liable for managing the income generated by ISIS-Somalia and has facilitated transfers for ISIS.
Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or presupposed to act for or on behalf of, straight or not directly, ISIS-Somalia.
