US Imposes Sanctions On 8 Individuals, 1 Entity In Somalia For Arms Trafficking - Treasury

US Imposes Sanctions on 8 Individuals, 1 Entity in Somalia for Arms Trafficking - Treasury

The United States has imposed sanctions on eight individuals and one entity in Somalia for their alleged involvement in weapons trafficking for the Islamic State of Somalia terror group (banned in Russia), the US Department of the Treasury said in a press release on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st November, 2022) The United States has imposed sanctions on eight individuals and one entity in Somalia for their alleged involvement in weapons trafficking for the Islamic State of Somalia terror group (banned in Russia), the US Department of the Treasury said in a press release on Tuesday.

"Today, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS-Somalia), its first designations against this affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)," the release said.

The US government believes that the sanctioned persons are critical elements of a weapons trafficking network that operates primarily between Yemen and Somalia and maintains strong ties with Al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab (both banned in Russia), the release said.

The list of sanctioned individuals includes Liibaan Yousuf Mohamed, Abdirahman Mohamed Omar, Mahad Isse Aden, Isse Mohamoud Yusuf, Abdirahman Fahiye Isse Mohamud, Mohamed Ahmed Qahiye, Ahmed Haji Ali Haji Omar and Osama Abdelmongy Abdalla Bakr, the release said.

The United States has designated Abdirahman Mohamed Omar as being the most active arms importer in Puntland, Somalia, who executed transactions in the amount of more than $2 million over a four-year period as of 2020, the release said.

Liibaan Yousuf Mohamed has been sanctioned for being al-Shabab terror group senior operative and kidnapping facilitator in 2013, as well as an Islamic State-Somalia-associated businessman, the release said.

The United States has also designated Liibaan General Trading Co., where Liibaan Yousuf Mohamed is registered as the manager, the release said.

Ahmed Haji Ali Haji Omar was an Islamic State-Somalia commander in charge of weapons smuggling in Bari, Somalia in 2019, ythe release also said.

Osama Abdelmongy Abdalla Bakr is believed to be a vital supporter of Islamic State in Brazil, who was unsuccessful in his attempts to purchase lightweight weaponry and anti-drone technology from North Korea in 2016 for the benefit of terror group, the release added.

The Treasury Department cited the recent terror attack that took place on Saturday at the Sobe junction in Mogadishu, near the education ministry, and claimed the lives of at least 120 people, as the main reason for the designations, according to the release.