The US Treasury has announced sanctions against three individuals including two based in South Africa due to their association with ISIS. Picture: File
The United States Department of the Treasury has announced sanctions against three individuals on the African continent for their alleged association with the expanded activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Two of the three people are based in South Africa and the third person is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“The individuals sanctioned today are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorist groups and their supporters,“ the US Treasury said.
According to the US Treasury, Abubakar Swalleh is a South African and Zambia-based ISIS operative that is allegedly involved in the physical transfer of funds from SA to the DRC.
Swalleh facilitates the movement of ISIS affiliated individuals from Uganda to SA and vice versa.
The US Treasury said that a DRC-based ISIS commander Mohamed Ali Nkalubo relies on Swalleh to move funds and recruit people or the ISIS DRC affiliate.
Under Nkalubo, Swalleh relocated to South Africa, where he became involved in kidnapping for ransom and robberies.
Zayd Gangat is also believed to be a South African-based ISIS facilitator and trainer, according to the US Treasury.
The US Treasury said that ISIS leaders in SA have used robbery, extortion and kidnap-for-ransom operations to generate funds for the group.
The third individual is DRC-based Hamidah Nabagala who allegedly serves as an intermediary for ISIS financial flow in central Africa.
According to the US Treasury, Nabagala has been accused of funding the October 2021 bombing in Kampala that resulted in the death of one person and the injury of at least three people.
It is alleged that these individuals serve as key financiers and trusted operatives that enable the activities of ISIS and ISIS leaders Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa.
They also serve as vital links between far-flung ISIS operations, including ISIS affiliates in the DRC, Mozambique, Somalia, and ISIS cells in SA, which allow ISIS leaders to leverage each affiliate’s capabilities to conduct terrorist attacks that undermine peace and security in the region.
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said: “Today’s action underscores the crucial work of the Counter ISIS Finance Group and the importance of effective information sharing among Coalition countries to target ISIS’s facilitation networks.”
As result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the three individuals as well as entities that are are owned, directly or indirectly, fifty percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the US or in the possession or control of US persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control).
OFAC regulations typically prohibit all dealings by US people or within the country that involve any property or interests in property of designated or blocked persons.
“US persons must comply with OFAC regulations, including all US citizens and permanent resident aliens regardless of where they are located, all persons within the US, and all US- incorporated entities and their foreign branches. Non-US persons are also subject to certain OFAC prohibitions,” the US Treasury said.
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