[ShabelleMedia] The US Department of the Treasury on Monday imposed sanctions on what it said was an international fundraising and money-laundering network for the Al-Shabaab
... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...holy warrior group operating in Somalia.
The sanctions targeted 16 entities and individuals across the Horn of Africa region, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus, the Treasury said in a statement.
The action, which follows US sanctions against a separate network linked to al-Shabaab in October 2022, freezes any US assets of those targeted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them.
It said Al-Shabaab, which Washington considers a terrorist group, generates over $100 million a year, including by extorting local businesses.
Al-Shabaab, linked to Al Qaeda, has been waging an insurgency against the Somali government since 2006 in a bid to establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
"The threat posed by al-Shabaab is not limited to Somalia," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
"Al-Shabaab’s revenues are disbursed to other al-Qa’ida-linked groups worldwide and help fund al-Qa’ida’s global ambitions to commit acts of terrorism and undermine good governance."
Related:
US Department of the Treasury: 2023-12-30 US sanctions network responsible for financing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea
US Department of the Treasury: 2023-12-04 Israel identifies Hezbollah's Ibrahim Aqil as head of the deadly Radwan unit
US Department of the Treasury: 2023-12-01 US sanctions target financial networks assisting Iran military
US Department of the Treasury: 2023-12-30 US sanctions network responsible for financing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea
US Department of the Treasury: 2023-12-04 Israel identifies Hezbollah's Ibrahim Aqil as head of the deadly Radwan unit
US Department of the Treasury: 2023-12-01 US sanctions target financial networks assisting Iran military