Hiiraan Online

Mogadishu (HOL) — The United States is offering up to $10 million and potential resettlement for information on ISIS-Somalia’s financial operations, which officials consider a major ISIS affiliate in Africa.

The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program said ISIS-Somalia acts as a financial artery for the global network, raising money through extortion, money laundering, kidnappings for ransom, and arms trafficking. U.S. officials noted that the group also profits from piracy, illegal fishing, and facilitating human smuggling and travel. Funds are moved through cash couriers, mobile money transfers, and cryptocurrency, according to program materials.

ISIS established its Somali branch in 2015 under Abdulqadir Mumin, who is believed to have risen to global leadership of the Islamic State in 2025, according to U.S. and Somali officials.. The faction is entrenched in the Bari region’s Al-Miskaad mountains of Puntland, where it has exploited smuggling routes and maritime access to finance its operations.

U.S. officials have previously identified Somalia’s so-called al-Karrar office as a key ISIS financial node, with monthly cryptocurrency transfers used to fund affiliates across Africa and beyond.

Puntland has mounted a sustained campaign against ISIS in its northern mountains. In late December 2024, Puntland authorities announced Operation Hilaac to dismantle militant bases.

Regional governments have also acted against the group. In July 2025, Ethiopian authorities arrested 82 ISIS suspects said to have received training in Puntland, underscoring the group’s cross-border networks.

The U.S. Rewards for Justice program stressed that tips may be submitted securely through Tor, Telegram, WhatsApp, and a dedicated phone line.

“Individuals who provide useful intelligence may be eligible for a financial reward and relocation,” the State Department said.