U.S. offers $5 million bounty for top Al-Shabaab commander

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United States through the Department of State's Rewards for Justice [RFJ] has offered a reward of up to $5 million for any information leading to the identification and location of Abukar Ali Adan, the deputy leader of Al-Shabaab militants.

Before being elevated to Al-Shabaab second in command, Adan spent several years as al-Shabaab’s military chief after previously heading the Jabhat, al-Shabaab’s armed wing. He replaced Mukhtar Robow, who had defected and has since become Somalia's minister for Religion and Endowment.

On January 4, 2018, the Department of State designated Adan as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist [SDGT] under Executive Order 13224, the Department revealed in a statement.

Among the consequences of this designation, all of Abukar Ali Adan’s property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.

Further investigations show that Adan is associated with al-Qa’ida affiliates al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula and al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb. The Alshabaab militants have been carrying terror attacks in Kenya and Somalia for almost 16 years.

"The terrorist group continues to plot, plan, and conspire to commit terrorist acts against the United States, U.S. interests, and foreign partners," the department said. The US has been a key security stakeholder in the East and the Horn of Africa.

The Department of State designated al-Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization [FTO] and SDGT in March 2008. In April 2010, al-Shabaab was also added to the 1844 Sanctions List by the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 [1992] concerning Al-Shabaab.

Last week, the Ministry of Defence of the Federal Republic of Somalia revealed that Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Diriye alias Abu Ubaida and the group's finance controller Mahad Karate had been in serious wrangles, leading to infighting between factions identifying themselves with the two.

The move, Somalia said, weakens the militants further to the advantage of the Somali National Army which is currently spearheading an operation against the militants. The operation across the country has left over 5000 militants dead in the last 12 months according to data given by the government of Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE