Washington (Hornpost) The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million and possible resettlement for anyone who provides information on the financial network of ISIS.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the ISIS faction operating in Somalia manages a financial system that draws income from multiple sources. These include extortion, money laundering, ransom kidnappings, and arms trafficking.
The group is also reported to generate funds through piracy, illegal fishing, cash smuggling, mobile money transfers, and the use of cryptocurrencies.
The State Department further stated that Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf has played a key role in supplying foreign fighters with equipment and military support, acting as ISIS-Somalia’s financial officer and facilitator of its regional networks.
Since 2019, Abdiweli has been a senior member of ISIS-Somalia, meeting with and providing reports to other ISIS leaders in the country, including Abdulkadir Mumin and Abdirahman Fahiye Isse Mahmoud — both previously sanctioned by the United States.
Abdiweli has overseen much of ISIS-Somalia’s revenue management, facilitating the transfer of funds across different countries. Some reports suggest that Abdiweli was captured by U.S. forces in July of this year.
This latest reward offers highlights Washington’s determination to uncover how ISIS-Somalia sustains its financial system, given the group’s continued access to weapons and ability to wage insurgency.
The Golis Mountains in northern Somalia have served as a stronghold for ISIS since the group formally established its presence in the country in 2015. Initially composed of only a small number of defectors who pledged allegiance to the late ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the group has since expanded significantly, particularly after 2019, as more fighters have joined its ranks.
Hornpost staff Reporter
