Iran TerrorismAl-Qaeda-Linked Terror Group Evades UN Sanctions With Iran’s Assistance

Al-Qaeda-Linked Terror Group Evades UN Sanctions With Iran’s Assistance

-

An al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, al-Shabaab

Iran Focus

London, 22 Oct – An al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, al-Shabaab, has been dealing in illegal charcoal shipments, and according to a report cited by Agence France-Presse and Reuters on October 12th, has been assisted in this endeavor by Iran.

Somali charcoal imports were banned by the UN in 2012. Despite UN sanctions, Somalia produced around 3.6 million bags of charcoal for export last year, generating about $7.5 million for the terrorist organization. United Nations Security Council Monitors said that Iran “has been a weak link in implementation” of the UN’s charcoal ban.

Somali charcoal shipments arrive in Iran in bags that are labeled with false certificates identifying Comoros, Cote d’lvoire, or Ghana as the country of origin. They are then repackaged into white bags labeled “Product of Iran” and exported to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Dubai, and other destinations.

Much of Somalia is a war zone, with no effective national government. Al-Shabaab once gained support with promises of safety and security in its attempt to seize control of the government. However, in 2011 it rejected Western food aid during a time of drought and famine, which affected its credibility, and led to it being forced out of Mogadishu, the capital, and later out of the vital port of Kismayo.

The group relies on the lucrative charcoal trade and the tolls and taxes it collects at various checkpoints. The group say that it “generates more than enough revenue to sustain its insurgency.”

A 2016 attack on a Kenyan military base in Somalia that killed that about 180 Kenyan soldiers was claimed by Al-Shabaab. The Somali government also blamed the group for the October 2017 killing of at least 500 people in a truck bombing in Mogadishu.

Despite ideological differences, Iran helps al-Shabaab fund itself. Shiite Muslims are believed to make up only about 10 percent of the Muslim population. If Iran wants to control a radical Islamic bloc, then it must cooperate with other branches of Islam.

And, Somalia is important to Iran for its proximity to the vital shipping lane of the Red Sea. It is estimated that some 4.8 million barrels per day of crude oil and refined petroleum flow through this strait to Europe, the United States, and Asia.

Iran already controls the Strait of Hormuz, and along with its Islamic allies in Egypt, is gaining influence over the Suez Canal. If it gains influence over Ethiopia and Eritrea, Iran may soon control the Red Sea.

Latest news

 Statistics show that New Year accidents’ deaths in Iran reached 585

Ahmad Shirani, the head of the Information and Traffic Control Center of the Iranian regime’s police, announced that the...

Land Subsidence in Critical Conditions in Isfahan

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), pointed to the occurrence of land subsidence in various...

Iran’s Actual Inflation Rate Higher Than Official Stats

The state-run Donya-e-eqtesad newspaper, in a report analyzing the "general sentiment" regarding inflation in 2023, has stated that households...

Iranian Workers’ Monthly $136 Wages Can’t Cover $500 Expenses

The lives of a significant portion of the Iranian population are marked by uncertainty, largely because the Iranian economy...

Iranian Nurses Earn Twice Their Wages in Ride-Hailing Services

Reza Aryanpour, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Health and Treatment Commission, highlighted the growing trend of nurses...

Iran: Unprecedented Record of 152 Million Liters of Gasoline Consumption Per Day

On March 19, Iran set a new historical record in gasoline consumption with 152 million liters consumed in one...

Must read

Protecting Iraq’s oil supply

The Guardian: The frigate HMS Cornwall is on patrol...

Suspected Iran spy says planned “president’s” killing in Egypt

Reuters: An Egyptian accused of spying for Iran said...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you