US sanctions 5 al-Shabaab leaders, dozens of operatives

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that the US is imposing sanctions on five leaders of the al-Shabaab militant group in a bid to further clamp down on its ability to raise revenue.

Blinken said in a statement that al-Shabaab represents "one of al-Qa’ida’s most dangerous affiliates" with attacks killing thousands of people across East Africa, and vowed that Washington will work alongside Somalia and regional countries to "disrupt al-Shabaab's operations."

The designated individuals include Maxamed Siidow, the group's alleged "finance emir" who is also a commander; Cali Yare, another financial leader who oversees al-Shabaab's religious taxation operations and regional financial officials Maxamed Dauud and Suleiman Cabdi Daoud, according to the State Department

Mohamed Omar Mohamed, who is alleged to have been responsible for a series of attacks that targeted civilians, is also being blacklisted

The Treasury Department separately sanctioned 15 al-Shabaab financial facilitators, four charcoal smugglers and seven associated companies.

"These combined designations reflect the United States’ counterterrorism priorities in Somalia and support the dynamic relationship we have established with the Somali government to counter the terrorist threats endangering their people and undermining their communities," said Blinken.