US sanctions weapons trafficking network with ties to Islamic State, al-Shabaab

The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Tuesday against a network of weapons traffickers with ties to the Islamic State in Somalia and al-Shabaab, a Somali militant group with ties to al Qaeda. 

The department said in a release that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued the designation following a bombing in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu that killed more than 100 people on Saturday, which al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for. 

“Today, we take direct aim at the networks funding and supplying both ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabaab that support their violent acts,” said Brian Nelson, the undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence. 

“The involvement of those designated today in other criminal activity, including piracy and illegal fishing, demonstrates the extent of ISIS-Somalia’s integration with illicit networks and other terrorist organizations operating in the region,” he continued. 

State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that the U.S. made the designation of the network for facilitating weapons transfers to ISIS in Somalia and an ISIS supporter in Brazil. 

He said the network primarily operates between Yemen and Somalia and has ties to other terrorist groups. He said many of the individuals in the network are also involved in other illegal activities such as piracy and environmental crimes. 

The sanctions mean all property and interests in property in the U.S. must be blocked and reported to the OFAC, per the Treasury release. All entities that are owned 50 percent or more by a sanctioned person are also blocked. 

The OFAC last month issued sanctions against financial facilitators and weapons smugglers working for al-Shabaab.

The Associated Press reported that violent acts in Somalia have increased in recent months.