Three Cyprus-registered companies sanctioned by US for al-Shabaab links
The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on an international fundraising and money-laundering network for the al Shabaab militant group, targeting 16 entities and individuals across the Horn of Africa region, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus. The sanctions list includes three Cyprus-based companies: HALEEL FINANCE LTD, HALEEL HOLDINGS LTD, and HALEEL LTD, with registrations in Nicosia and Limassol. These companies were registered within eight months in 2017. This action follows previous U.S. sanctions against a network linked to al Shabaab in October 2022, aiming to freeze any U.S. assets of those targeted and prevent dealings with them by Americans. Al Shabaab, considered a terrorist group by Washington, generates over 0 million a year and has been fighting the Somali government since 2006 to establish rule based on Islamic Sharia law. The State Department highlighted that al Shabaab’s revenues support al-Qa’ida-linked groups globally, funding terrorism and undermining governance.