US imposes sanctions on key al-Shabaab terrorist financiers

MOGADISHU, Somalia

The US on Monday announced that it had designated al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab's financial facilitators, weapons smugglers for the group and recruitment.

The individuals who were sanctioned include Khalif Adale, Abdullahi Jeeri and Abdikarim Hussein Gagaal while others were designated for working as al-Shabaab weapons traffickers, according to a Treasury statement.

The statement said as of late 2021, Jeeri smuggled weapons for al-Shabaab and he is head of weapons procurement and has acquired weapons for al-Shabaab from both local markets and foreign suppliers, primarily in Yemen.

Khalif Adale, has served as al-Shabaab's finance leader for collecting money from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and has reported directly to al-Shabaab's emir Ahmed Diriye, who was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, according to the statement.

The US also offered $5M reward for information on Hassan Afgoye, a key al-Shabaab leader.

The US said these individuals hold leadership roles within al-Shabaab and act as key interlocutors between the group and local companies in Somalia.

“This network has engaged in weapons procurement, financial facilitation, and recruitment activities for al-Shabaab. In addition to being leaders within al-Shabaab, these facilitators have had direct contact with other previously designated al-Shabaab officials,” the Treasury Department said in the statement.

It noted that the terrorist group which has been fighting against Somali government and AU peacekeepers in the country since 2007 are generating around $100M every year through multiple funding streams.

The US said it is focusing on identifying and disrupting al-Shabaab's illicit networks operating in Eastern Africa.

"We will continue to take action against the weapons smuggling and fundraising activities of al-Shabaab and other al-Qa'ida affiliates," said the US Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

The group's main revenue comes from forced extortions imposed on Somali businesses and the group also collects money it called “Zakaat” from local population in areas that the group controls, according to Ahmed Mohamed, a Mogadishu-based economist who spoke to Anadolu Agency over the phone after the sanctions were announced.

The group's revenue has also supported al-Shabaab's capacity, capabilities leadership, and attacks on Somali citizens, according to the US Treasury Department.

Somalia has been grappling with increasing insecurity for years, with al-Shabaab being one of the main threats in the Horn of Africa country.

Since at least 2007, al-Shabaab has waged a deadly campaign against the Somali government and international forces that has claimed thousands of lives.

The United Nations has also warned of growing instability in the country, with its periodic reports on Somalia this year detailing attacks by al-Shabaab and pro-Daesh/ISIS groups.

There were at least 1,518 civilian casualties -- 651 killed and 867 injured -- in terrorist attacks in Somalia in 2018, followed by 1,459 -- 591 killed and 868 injured -- in 2019, according to UN in Somalia.