Khaberni - The United States imposed -on Monday- sanctions on 3 individuals and 6 companies in Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa, accused of facilitating financial transactions for the Islamic State and transferring funds between its regional branches.
The US Treasury Department stated in a release that the new measures target "key intermediaries" who enable the organization to transfer funds between its branches, noting that the sanctions included Meloud Abdel Rahman residing in France, Abdel Hakim Boukich residing in Syria, and Mukhtar Adamu Mohammed residing in Nigeria.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Biesent said that ISIS "continues to seek new methods and tools to fund terrorist attacks," adding that the United States "will use every tool available to crush what remains of the organization's capabilities and protect American lives."
The department explained that Boukich - originally a Dutch citizen - runs a "Bitcoin Exchange" which was also subject to sanctions, adding that the company transferred financial amounts - on behalf of partners for ISIS - from Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, South Africa, and the United States.
The sanctions also included two financial services companies "Spider" and "Al-Karam," based in Turkey, alongside three companies the department said were managed by Mukhtar Adamu.
The Treasury added that Meloud Abdel Rahman - a French citizen - conducted transactions with branches of ISIS, and provided training for the organization's supporters on manufacturing explosives.
The United States has continued - for years - to impose sanctions on individuals and entities they say are connected to the Islamic State, especially in Syria and Iraq.
