US Offers $10 Million Reward to Disrupt ISIS-Somalia Finances
United States, Somalia The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that could expose and disrupt the financial networks sustaining ISIS-Somalia, a move Washington says is aimed at weakening one of the Islamic State’s most influential branches in Africa.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. State Department said the initiative falls under its Rewards for Justice program, which has been instrumental in gathering intelligence to combat global terrorism. American officials emphasized that the reward may also include relocation assistance for individuals who provide credible information that leads to identifying financiers, revenue channels, or money transfer systems used by the extremist faction.
ISIS-Somalia, though smaller in size compared to al-Shabaab, has gained notoriety for its operational resilience, international fundraising, and the use of modern financial systems, including cryptocurrency. Washington considers the group a significant threat, not only to Somalia’s stability but also to regional and global security.
“Cutting off the financial lifelines of ISIS-Somalia is central to degrading its ability to plan attacks, recruit fighters, and spread violent ideology,” the State Department noted.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns that ISIS affiliates across Africa are increasingly self-financing through extortion, smuggling, and illicit trade, making them harder to dismantle through conventional counter-terrorism operations. In Somalia, the group has maintained influence in Puntland’s mountainous regions and has been linked to targeted assassinations and cross-border funding networks.
Security analysts view the U.S. move as a critical step in tightening the noose around extremist financing, especially as global efforts to cripple ISIS core operations in Syria and Iraq continue.
“Following the money is often the most effective way to weaken these groups,” one regional counter-terrorism expert told reporters.
The U.S. call for information underscores Somalia’s growing role in the international fight against terror financing, with officials in Mogadishu previously warning that extremist networks were exploiting gaps in financial oversight to fund violence.
