US designates al-Shabaab members

On Wednesday 24 May, The US State Department, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, designated 5 al-Shabaab leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (press release):

• Maxamed Siidow, finance emir and a commander in the group’s armed wing, the Jabha;

• Cali Yare, finance emir who allegedly oversees a section of al-Shabaab’s illicit taxation operations;

• Maxamed Dauud Gabaane, finance emir, responsible for certain al-Shabaab finance operations;

• Suleiman Cabdi Daoud, finance emir, and wali (commissioner) of Beled Amin, who oversees an al-Shabaab “court” that allegedly stores fines collected from civilians in the region; and 

• Mohamed Omar Mohamed, wali of the al-Shabaab group in the Diinsor District, Bay Region, allegedly responsible for attacking civilians.

The Treasury Department also designated 26 individuals and entities connected with al-Shabaab (press release, notice):

• 15 regional leaders and financial facilitators, allegedly involved in extensive revenue generation for al-Shabaab through illegal fee collections; and

• 4 charcoal smugglers and 7 of their related companies, engaging in the illegal export of charcoal from Somalia, which has contributed to local conflicts.