OFAC designates ISIS-Somalia targets

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (‘OFAC’) says it has taken action ‘against the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS-Somalia), its first designations against this affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).’

This, OFAC says, follows its ‘recent October 17, 2022 designations of al-Shabaab financial facilitators and weapons smugglers, further targeting a network of weapons traffickers, their associates, and an affiliated business that have facilitated weapons transfers to multiple terrorist groups.’

OFAC said that several of the individuals designated had ‘specifically sold weapons to or were active al-Shabaab members. The individuals and entity designated today are critical nodes for a weapons trafficking network that is closely integrated with ISIS-Somalia. These networks operate primarily between Yemen and Somalia and have strong ties to al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and al-Shabaab. Treasury also designated a vital supporter of ISIS in Brazil, who has attempted to serve as a liaison for the terrorist group.’

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20221101