Somalia Places Former Southwest State President Laftagareen, Nine Others on Sanctions List

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Committee has placed former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen and nine other individuals on a financial sanctions list over suspected links to Al-Shabaab and terrorism financing.

In a statement, the committee ordered financial institutions and other reporting entities to freeze assets belonging to those listed, prohibit financial dealings with them and immediately report attempted transactions to the Financial Reporting Center (FRC).

The committee said the decision followed an assessment of information and evidence concerning individuals suspected of membership in, association with or financial support for Al-Shabaab.

The sanctions were imposed under Somalia’s targeted financial sanctions legislation and regulations governing the freezing of assets linked to suspected terrorism financing.

Others named in the statement include Hassan Abdulkadir Mohamed, Mahad Abdirahman Adan Shub, Ibrahim Adan Ali Najah, Hassan Abdi Mohamed Ugaas Hassan, Abdullahi Ali Watiin, Abdifatah Mahad Abdirahman, Abdimajid Mowlid Hassan, Amiin Mad Daruur and Abshir Aden Isak.

The committee warned that individuals and institutions violating the restrictions could face legal action under Somalia’s counterterrorism financing laws.

The statement did not specify the alleged activities of each individual or provide details of the evidence supporting their designation. The allegations could not be independently verified.

Laftagareen’s inclusion comes amid a prolonged political dispute between the former regional leader and Somalia’s federal government over constitutional changes, elections and control of Southwest State.

The designation follows earlier reports in September that federal authorities had frozen bank accounts linked to Laftagareen.

Somalia has expanded the use of targeted financial sanctions in efforts to disrupt Al-Shabaab’s funding networks, with previous designations requiring financial institutions to freeze assets and report suspicious transactions.