Thread by @IbraM2035

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 🧵

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released a report detailing individuals who facilitate the financing of terrorist organizations such as Al-Shabaab and ISIS. These individuals, primarily based in Puntland, Somalia, are actively involved in illegal arms trafficking and have significant business ties to these extremist groups. According to the report, eight individuals from Puntland have been named as key players in this network, serving as suppliers of arms and logistical support to Al-Shabaab and ISIS in Somalia.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐅𝐀𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

𝟏: Liibaan Yuusuf Maxamed
•A senior operative of Al-Shabaab, responsible for security and kidnappings.
•Owns Liibaan General Trading Co., which is implicated in facilitating arms for Al-Shabaab.
𝟐: Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Cumar
•Member of ISIS-Somalia and a key arms trafficker operating between Yemen and Somalia.
•Involved in over $2 million in illegal arms trade between 2020 and 2024.
𝟑: Mahad Ciise Aadan
•Smuggler linked to multiple illegal arms trade networks in Puntland.
•Supplied arms to both ISIS-Somalia and Al-Shabaab, moving nearly $800,000 worth of arms between 2015 and 2020.
𝟒: Ciise Maxamuud Yuusuf
•Facilitator of arms and logistics for ISIS-Somalia in Puntland’s Bari region.
𝟓:Cabdiraxmaan Faahiye Ciise Maxamuud
•Senior ISIS-Somalia operative who coordinated suicide bombings, including the 2017 attack in Bosaso.
𝟔: Axmed Xaaji Cali Xaaji Cumar
•Key leader of ISIS-Somalia’s arms smuggling operations in Puntland, playing a critical role in ISIS-Somalia’s leadership structure.

𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

The report highlights how Puntland has become a hub for these activities, raising questions about the region’s role in enabling terrorist financing and arms trade. The networks operating between Puntland and Yemen have close ties with Al-Qaeda, further exacerbating the issue.

The international community is well aware of these networks, as highlighted in the OFAC report. The continued operation of these arms traffickers in Puntland underscores the region’s role as a critical enabler of terrorism in the Horn of Africa. This is not only a regional issue but a global security concern.

The evidence outlined in the OFAC report points to Puntland as a significant source of support for terrorist organizations like Al-Shabaab and ISIS. These networks, operating with apparent impunity, facilitate the arms trade and logistical support that sustain these extremist groups, underscoring the region’s complicity in perpetuating terrorism.

Interestingly Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf the head of the finance office of the Somalia-based affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is a former Minister from Puntland during @aliabdiweli

Prolific #OFAC-designated arms trafficker & Al-Shabaab affiliate Ahmed Mataan has been has been installed as leader (Beeldaaje) of his sub-clan in a ceremony in Bosaso , Puntland.

Bosaso Port in Puntland, Somalia, has been identified as a significant hub for arms smuggling from Yemen, facilitating the arming of groups like the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS-Somalia). The port’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden makes it a focal point for illicit maritime activities.

Reports indicate that vessels from Yemen transport weapons to Bosaso, where they are then distributed to militant groups operating in the region. For instance, the Marwan 1, a fishing vessel previously associated with the “Somali 7,” operated through Puntland ports. On December 1, 2022, the USS Lewis B. Puller intercepted the Marwan 1 in the Gulf of Oman, discovering a substantial cache of arms onboard, including over a million rounds of ammunition and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) propellant.

Ports like Bosaso in Puntland are major hubs for arms smuggling, with vessels from Yemen frequently transporting weapons to the Islamic State in Puntland. A notable example is the Marwan 1, an IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing vessel that was once part of the “Somali 7” network and operated through Puntland ports.

On December 1, 2022, the Marwan 1 was interdicted by the USS Lewis B. Puller in the Gulf of Oman. The ship was found carrying:

•Over 1 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition,
•25,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition,
•Nearly 7,000 proximity fuses for rockets, and
•Over 2,100 kg of RPG propellant.

This interception underscores the critical role Puntland ports like Bosaso play in facilitating the flow of arms to extremist groups such as the Islamic State in Puntland.

The Marwan 1's last AIS transmission was on 1 Dec 22, presumably shortly before it was intercepted.

The documentation below confirms that the arms-trafficking vessel is registered in #Somalia, with the owners (Somlink Fisheries).

globalinitiative.net/analysis/illeg…

The vessel Marwan 1 operates as part of an arms smuggling network between Puntland businessmen and Yemeni Houthi groups. The owners of the vessel, who are prominent arms traffickers, maintain strong ties between #Puntland and #Yemen.

The paper below says

“First, it will examine the environmentally destructive impact of the hundreds of Iranian gillnetters operating in the waters off Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of north-eastern Somalia. Facilitated by a cabal of local Somali fishing agents with ties to the Puntland Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Iranian vessel owners have consistently obtained licences and armed local protection, despite the fact that the Puntland administration is not authorized to issue licences to foreign vessels”.

Marwan 1 is not the only vessel involved in illicit arms smuggling from Yemen and Oman to Bosaso Port. Suspiciously, many of these vessels fail to report their destination when heading to Bosaso. For instance, in 2022, there were at least two instances where docking at Bosaso Port was not officially reported for such vessels. Instead, they seemed content with merely anchoring at the Bosaso outer anchorage without officially berthing.

For example, the vessel AK HAMBURG anchored at the Bosaso anchorage on November 30 at 03:53 UTC. Satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 captured the vessel at the anchorage on December 2, 07:16 UTC, further raising questions about its activities and the lack of transparency in reporting its movements

On December 5, 2022, the vessel AK HAMBURG moored at Bosaso Port and departed on December 10, 2022. A satellite image from December 8, 2022, revealed the vessel engaging in ship-to-ship transfers (STS) with what appeared to be two other vessels positioned near its cranes.

The practice of concealing the vessel’s destination by using vague or non-clickable identifiers, such as “SO BOS,” raises serious concerns. This tactic appears to deliberately obscure the port’s activities and hinder tracking efforts, further suggesting attempts to avoid scrutiny.

The traffickers, Abdirahman Mohamed Omar, also known as “Dhofaye,” and Mohamed Hussein Salad, both from Puntland, were recently sanctioned by #OFAC. This highlights the extensive network facilitating terrorism, linking Puntland’s arms trade to the Houthis in Yemen.

Abdiqadir Muumin hailing from Cali Saleebaan is the founder and father of ISIS in Somalia, and the leader of ISIS in East and Central Africa. He is a priest, an elder, and a former expatriate living in the United Kingdom. He returned to Somalia in 2010 and joined the AS team. In 2015, he broke away from AS and founded the ISIS wing in Somalia.

The current leadership of the Islamic State terrorist group is primarily composed of fighters from the Cali Saleebaan sub-clan of the Majeerteen clan. The group also actively recruits fighters from foreign countries to bolster its ranks.

One of the key leaders of the Islamic State terrorist network, Al-Majerteni, with established connections in Iraq and Libya, was arrested and detained by Somaliland’s Rapid Response Unit (RRU). Al-Majerteni, a prominent figure in the terrorist organization, originated from #Puntland and played a critical role in its operations.

The group’s financial income is primarily generated through taxes at the Bosaso port and by taxing local businesses in Puntland.

According to @CrisisGroup in Puntland, it raises funds by extorting businesses in the seaport city of Bosaso and facilitating the export of small quantities of gold mined in the Bari region. The U.S. government reports that IS-Somalia has accumulated $6 million since 2022, with this income mainly coming from taxes on traders at the Bosaso port and the export of gold from Bari region of Puntland.

The group’s soldiers and leadership are predominantly drawn from the Cali Saleebaan, a small sub-clan of the Darod/Majeerteen.

“This sub-clan harbors grievances over the governing arrangements in Puntland, where their rivals, particularly the Mohamud Saleebaan, hold the most influence. These tensions have repeatedly flared between the Cali Saleebaan and Mohamud Saleebaan. In 2016, one such dispute escalated into an armed resistance campaign by the Cali Saleebaan, which only subsided when Puntland authorities promised to allocate more government positions to their members.”

This dynamic complicates efforts to defeat the group, as it often finds support in the areas it inhabits. Many residents from the same clan feel marginalized and harbor grievances against Puntland’s dominant Mohamud Saleebaan clan, leading to a sense of alignment with the group.

Further Structure of the Islamic State in Somalia and Clan Dynamics in their leadership

Abdulqadir Muumin Yusuf (Majeerteen, Cali Saleebaan): Founder and father of ISIS-Somalia, and the group’s Emir for East and Central Africa. A former UK resident, Muumin returned to Somalia in 2010 and initially joined Al-Shabaab. In 2015, he split from Al-Shabaab to establish ISIS-Somalia.

Mahad Macalin Jajab (Majeerteen, Cali Saleebaan): Known as “Caaw Geelle” within the group, he has served as the deputy Emir and head of ISIS-Somalia’s propaganda wing. In 2018, he was designated a global terrorist by the U.S. for smuggling fighters and weapons into Somalia.

Abdirahman Faahiye Ciise (Harti, Dashiishe): Also known as “Ahmed Adan” and “Khalid,” Faahiye has been a top commander and deputy Emir of ISIS-Somalia. He is suspected to be the current Emir following Abdulqadir Muumin’s promotion to regional leadership.

Abuu Yusuf (Majeerteen): Head of ISIS-Somalia’s foreign fighters. He is a U.S. citizen who previously lived in America before joining the group.

Cabdixakiin Dhoqob (Majeerteen, Cali Saleebaan): Former head of ISIS-Somalia’s political affairs. He was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Bari, leaving his successor unknown.

Cabdiqani Luqmaan (Majeerteen, Cali Saleebaan): Chief of military operations. Some reports suggest he might belong to the Leelkase sub-clan instead of Harti.

Fahad Aboole (Ogaadeen):
Logistics head for the group.

Jacfar Dabaashaan (Majeerteen, Cismaan Maxamuud): Senior figure within the group, with significant operational responsibilities.

The Cali Saleebaan sub-clan, which dominates ISIS-Somalia’s leadership, harbors deep grievances over its perceived marginalization by Puntland’s government, which is dominated by rival clans, particularly the Mohamud Saleebaan.