WASHINGTON, Aug 20 – The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million and the possibility of resettlement for anyone who provides key information on the financial operations of ISIS-Somalia, a group Washington considers a major threat in East Africa.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice described ISIS’s Somalia branch as one of the largest and most active affiliates of the global ISIS network on the African continent, playing a significant role in funding the group’s wider operations.
The U.S. State Department confirmed that ISIS-Somalia generates income through a variety of illicit channels, including tax extortion, ransom kidnappings, money laundering, arms trafficking, and criminal levies on local populations.
The group also profits from piracy, illegal fishing, and uses mobile money platforms and cryptocurrencies to move funds.
“The United States urges Somalis and others with credible financial intelligence on ISIS-Somalia to come forward,” the statement said. “Anyone providing such information may receive a substantial financial reward and resettlement opportunities.”
ISIS-Somalia was founded in 2015 by Abdulqadir Mumin, a former Al-Shabaab cleric, in the Cal Miskaad Mountains of northeastern Somalia.
Since then, the group has attracted foreign fighters and expanded its operations, posing an increasing threat to regional stability.
Since December 2024, Puntland forces have intensified their offensive against ISIS in the Cal Miskaad area, recapturing several key strongholds.
The military campaign has received support from U.S. forces and the United Arab Emirates, according to regional officials.
The U.S. reward program is part of a broader counterterrorism initiative aimed at disrupting terrorist financing and dismantling transnational militant networks across the Horn of Africa.
