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The U.S. Treasury Department has announced sanctions on a transnational network involving entities and individuals from the Horn of Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus for their role in facilitating the financing of the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.
The network is accused of aiding Al-Shabaab's financing through money laundering, with a particular emphasis on its global financial links with Al-Qaida. The U.S. Treasury highlighted the broad reach of Al-Shabaab's revenues, emphasizing their support for various Al-Qaida-linked groups worldwide.
"Al-Shabaab's revenues are disbursed to other Al-Qaida-linked groups around the world and help fund Al-Qaida's global ambitions to commit terrorist acts and undermine good governance," the statement read.
The sanctions align with U.S. priorities in Somalia and support the collaborative efforts with the Somali government to address terrorist threats. The United States remains committed to disrupting Al Qaeda's access to the international financial system.
Specifically, the sanctions target Dubai-based Haleel Commodities L.L.C., known as Haleel Group, as a key financial intermediary for Al-Shabaab. The Haleel Group, operating in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Cyprus, and the UAE, is accused of generating and laundering funds for the terrorist organization. Notably, Haleel Group's subsidiaries in Cyprus, including Haleel Finance LTD, Haleel Holdings, and Haleel LTD, are also subject to sanctions.
Farhan Hussein Hayder, responsible for managing Haleel Group's branches in Kenya, Uganda, Cyprus, and the UAE, is implicated in supporting Al-Shabaab by generating funds for the group through these businesses.
The Treasury's move reflects its ongoing commitment to counter-terrorism efforts and disrupt illicit financial networks supporting terrorist organizations worldwide.
Information sourced from APE-MPE
