MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s Ministry of Defence on Wednesday praised the Office of the Attorney General for uncovering more than 250 cases linked to money laundering and direct financing of the militant group Al-Shabaab, in what officials described as a significant blow to the group’s financial infrastructure.
In a statement, the ministry said the investigation led to the auditing of over 3,500 bank accounts and the freezing of one million US dollars in suspected terror funds. It called the effort “a major strategic victory” in the government’s ongoing campaign to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s military, economic, and ideological capabilities.
“This success is part of a comprehensive war, not just fought on the battlefield, but across financial and ideological fronts,” the ministry said, commending all government institutions for their active role in supporting the national army’s efforts to secure the country and protect civilians.
The crackdown, officials said, illustrates how the federal government is increasingly targeting the group’s economic lifelines in tandem with military operations.
“The Somali people, standing side by side with their national army, are sacrificing everything in this fight,” the ministry added. “This is not a one-dimensional conflict – it is a united national struggle.”
Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency in Somalia for more than a decade, continues to stage deadly attacks despite sustained offensives by Somali forces backed by international partners.
