US & Gulf states impose sanctions on 6 targets over alleged ties to Islamic State

The United States and six Gulf countries on Wednesday imposed sanctions on six targets, accusing them of being affiliated with Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), the US Treasury Department said. The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) also includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The center blacklisted three entities and an individual in Turkey and Syria, the statement said.

The Treasury accused money services businesses, which include al Haram Exchange, Tawasul Company, and al-Khalidi Exchange, of having “played a vital role in transferring funds to support Syria-based ISIS fighters and… provided hundreds of thousands of dollars of liquidity to ISIS leadership.”

Abd-al-Rahman ‘Ali Husayn al-Ahmad al-Rawi, selected by IS in 2017 to serve as a senior financial facilitator, was also blacklisted, according to the Treasury. It accused him of being one of a few that have provided IS “significant financial facilitation” into and out of Syria, Reuters said.

The TFTC also blacklisted Afghanistan-based Nejaat Social Welfare Organization and its director, accusing it of being used as a cover company to support the activities of the Afghan affiliate of IS.