The United States says it will continue to partner with South Africa to prevent militant group ISIS from exploiting the country’s economy to raise and move funds to support the growth of ISIS affiliates and networks.
The US has announced sanctions targetting four people and eight companies that are allegedly linked to the militant group reportedly operating in Durban.
The US Treasury Department says the aim of the sanctions is to block support for the network and stop ISIS from expanding in southern Africa.
It’s believed that the people and the companies provide technical, financial and material support to the militant group.
In a statement issued by the US authorities, Nufael Akbar allegedly collaborated with Farhad Hoomer.
Akbar has been identified as a central commanding figure in the Durban-based ISIS cell.
His brother Yunus Akbar has also been implicated as an enforcer and logistical coordinator for the ISIS cell.
The US says Hoomer associates were arrested in 2018 by South African authorities for their involvement in a plan to deploy explosive devices near a mosque and commercial retail buildings.
The US State Department says they will continue to work with South Africa in defeating ISIS.
Terror alert
Recently, the US issued a terror alert around the Sandton area, north of Johannesburg.
This followed a decision in March by the US Treasury to sanction four ISIS and ISIS-Mozambique financial facilitators in the country.
The US Government in March designated the four alleged financial facilitators in South Africa under a 2001 Executive Order that seeks to impede terrorist funding.
It listed Hoomer, Siraaj Miller, Abdella Hussein Abadigga and Peter Charles Mbanga adding that ISIS members and associates in South Africa were playing a role in facilitating the transfer of funds from the top of the ISIS hierarchy to branches across Africa.
The listings were done in line with an Executive Order that enables the US Government to disrupt the financial support networks of terrorists and their organisations including blocking the assets of individuals and entities in relation to their illegal activities.
In the report below, a terror warning follows US decision to sanction ISIS facilitation networks:
-Additional reporting by Sherwin Bryce-Pease
