The United States has sanctioned two leaders of the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) - Arkan Ahmad Abbas al-Matuti and Nawaf Ahmad Alwan al-Rashidi - and has designated them as global terrorists who have also committed sexual violence against Yezidi women, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th June, 2023) The United States has sanctioned two leaders of the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) - Arkan Ahmad Abbas al-Matuti and Nawaf Ahmad Alwan al-Rashidi - and has designated them as global terrorists who have also committed sexual violence against Yezidi women, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.
"Today, the Department of State is designating two ISIS (Islamic State) leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, under Executive Order 13224. Both individuals have committed sexual violence against Yezidis and were responsible for the abduction and enslavement of Yezidi women and girls. More than 2,700 women and children, mainly Yezidis, remain unaccounted for," Blinken said in a press release.
Al-Matuti is a senior field military commander in Wilayat al-Jazirah who sold Yezidi women and girls and took several Yezidi captives as sexual slaves, the release said.
Al-Rashidi manages financial payments to Islamic State members and widows. He is alleged to have been involved in planning, coordinating and conducting several attacks in Syria between 2018-2019 and was responsible for the sexual slavery and rape of Yezidi women in Sinjar, Iraq, the release added.
The State Department has designated concurrently with the Treasury Department two South Sudanese officials - James Nando and Alfred Futuyo - for their alleged involvement in conflict-related sexual violence.
