Mogadishu, Somalia – In a significant move to cripple the al-Shabaab terrorist group, an international coalition yesterday sanctioned 15 key individuals within its fundraising and operational networks in Somalia.
The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), a powerful alliance of seven nations, announced the joint designations, marking the eighth such coordinated action aimed at choking off the group’s resources.
The TFTC, established in May 2017, unites the United States with its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This collaborative body focuses on disrupting terrorist financing through targeted sanctions, intelligence sharing, and capacity-building initiatives.
According to the press release issued from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the designated individuals were deeply involved in activities vital to al-Shabaab’s operations, including the coercive collection of funds and the proliferation of deadly Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“Al-Shabaab’s brutal campaign of terror against the Somali people, marked by the extortion of farmers and the kidnapping of civilians, continues to destabilize the wider region,” stated Anna Morris, Acting Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing at the U.S. Treasury.
“Today’s decisive action by the TFTC is intended to sever al-Shabaab’s access to the regional and international financial systems it relies upon to fund its violence, coordinate attacks, and sustain its operations.”
Morris underscored the effectiveness of international cooperation, noting that “TFTC member states are demonstrably stronger and more effective when working together to counter these shared threats to the global financial system. We remain steadfast in our commitment to maintain intensive pressure on terrorist actors and their financial networks.”
The 15 individuals targeted operate in the Lower Shabelle, Lower Juba, and Middle Juba regions of Somalia and hold key roles in al-Shabaab’s funding and operational structures. Their activities include:
- Coercive Fundraising: Illegally collecting fees, extorting livestock as “donations,” and imposing charges on local commerce.
- Intimidation and Control: Utilizing the Hisbah, al-Shabaab’s illegitimate “police force,” to enforce compliance and extract resources.
- Kidnapping: Abducting civilians for ransom and other purposes.
- IED Support: Facilitating the manufacture and deployment of Improvised Explosive Devices.
- Operational Command: Planning and directing attacks against Somali and African Union security forces, including the use of VBIEDs and mortars.
- Intelligence and Finance Management: Overseeing intelligence operations and the group’s financial affairs.
- Propaganda Dissemination: Participating in efforts to promote al-Shabaab’s ideology.
The individuals designated by the TFTC are:
- Hasaan Abshir Xuuroow (Xuuroow): Al-Shabaab intelligence and finance officer; led the collection of mandatory “donations,” including livestock, in Kismayo.
- Aadan Yusuf Saciid Ibrahim (Ibrahim): Al-Shabaab mandatory donations collector in Lower Shabelle; enforced fee collection on livestock and market sales.
- Mumin Dheere (Dheere): Deputy emir of Wayanta, Lower Juba; coordinated retaliatory attacks and planned VBIED and mortar attacks, including against Kismayo International Airport.
- Macalin Burhan (Burhan): Al-Shabaab Hisbah commander of Wayanta, Lower Juba; known for imprisoning over 80 civilians.
- Ali Ahmed Hussein (Hussein): Al-Shabaab emir in Lower Shabelle; demanded payments from clans and facilitated movement of fighters and weapons.
- Maxamed Cali (Cali): Al-Shabaab company commander leading 100 fighters; reports to Dheere.
- Ahmed Kabadhe (Kabadhe): Al-Shabaab emir in Jubaland; ordered attacks on local security forces and plotted VBIED attacks.
- Siyaat Ayuto (Ayuto): Al-Shabaab Hisbah commander for Wiliyat, Lower Juba; former Hisbah commander of Beer Xaani and emir for Kismayo operations.
- Hassan Yariisow Aadan (Aadan): Al-Shabaab commander; collected fees from locals in Lower Shabelle to support the group.
- Siciid Abdullahi Aadan (Aadan): Al-Shabaab member; IED expert and facilitator; also extracted fees from the population.
- Mohamed Abdullah Hirey (Hirey): Al-Shabaab Governor of the Juba Region; participated in pro-al-Shabaab propaganda.
- Cabdi Roobow (Roobow): Mid-level al-Shabaab commander in charge of Wayanta, Lower Juba; planned attacks with Dheere.
- Shiek Aadan Abuukar Malayle (Malayle): Al-Shabaab leader; oversaw fee collection in Lower Shabelle used to purchase weapons and supplies.
- Aadan Jiss (Jiss): Al-Shabaab Hisbah commander; managed a detention center for the group’s “courts.”
- Cumar Guhaad: Al-Shabaab commander in Lower Shabelle; ordered clans to pay large sums to support the group.