U.S. Treasury Removes Three Somali Individuals from Sanctions List in Administrative Update

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has removed 84 individuals and entities from its sanctions lists as part of an ongoing modernization initiative, including the names of three prominent Somali figures associated with Al-Shabaab. The move, announced on July 27, 2026, is an administrative update that does not represent a policy shift or the lifting of sanctions against the individuals concerned.

The 84 removals include individuals and entities no longer considered U.S. national security or foreign policy priorities, such as deceased individuals, defunct entities, and targets sanctioned more than 20 years ago. OFAC also resolved 18 sets of duplicate entries, eliminating redundant listings and updating relevant identifiers. The three Somali figures removed from the SDN List as part of this consolidation are Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, Hassan Dahir Aweys, and Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed, better known as the former emir of Al-Shabaab, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr (Godane). All three are deceased or, in the case of Aweys, no longer considered an active threat.

A Routine Administrative Update, Not a Delisting

The Treasury Department’s announcement made clear that the removals are part of a broader effort to streamline sanctions programs and reduce compliance burdens on financial institutions. In a press release, OFAC stated that the action was taken to “ensure U.S. sanctions remain targeted, effective, and aligned with U.S. economic, foreign policy, and national security priorities.” The removals focus on persons and entities no longer considered national security or foreign policy priorities, including deceased individuals, defunct entities and targets designated more than two decades ago whose listings lack sufficient identifying information for modern compliance screening.

The inclusion of al-Turki, Aweys, and Godane in the removals is a technical adjustment. All three individuals are deceased or, in the case of Aweys, no longer considered an active threat. Their removal from the SDN list does not signify a change in U.S. policy toward Al-Shabaab or the individuals themselves. OFAC stated that each removal followed an interagency review to ensure delisting would not harm U.S. national security or foreign-policy interests.

The Targeted Individuals and Their Designations

The three Somali figures removed from the SDN list as part of this consolidation are:

– Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki – A former leader of the Islamic Courts Union who fought alongside Al-Shabaab and was sanctioned under the Somalia program. He is deceased.
– Hassan Dahir Aweys – The founder and spiritual leader of the Islamic Courts Union who later joined Al-Shabaab. According to a 2015 UN report, he was under house arrest in Mogadishu.
– Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed (Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr/Godane) – The former emir of Al-Shabaab who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in September 2014.

Despite the removals, the individuals remain subject to U.S. sanctions and any assets they hold in U.S. jurisdiction remain blocked. The removal of their names is a technical adjustment that signals no change in U.S. policy toward Al-Shabaab or the threat it poses.

A Modernization Effort, Not a Policy Shift

The OFAC update comes amid ongoing debates about the effectiveness of sanctions in countering terrorism in Somalia. While the U.S. has maintained sanctions against Al-Shabaab and its associated individuals for years, the impact of these measures has been limited. Al-Shabaab continues to control large areas of southern and central Somalia and has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to exploit political divisions and weak state institutions. The United States and six Gulf nations recently imposed sanctions on 15 senior Al-Shabaab operatives accused of bankrolling terrorism in Somalia, as part of a growing international push to weaken the group’s financial networks.

The removal of duplicate entries does not signify a shift in U.S. policy. It is a bureaucratic exercise intended to streamline the sanctions list and ensure accuracy. However, it also serves as a reminder that the U.S. government continues to maintain sanctions against individuals associated with Al-Shabaab, even as the group persists. The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), a U.S.-Gulf partnership based in Riyadh, has intensified efforts to dismantle terror networks by cutting off their financial lifelines. The Treasury Department’s modernization effort also includes the launch of an online Reconsideration Portal, which streamlines the process for submitting delisting petitions.

Way Forward

The OFAC update is a routine administrative action that highlights the persistence of U.S. sanctions against Al-Shabaab’s leadership. While the removals are technical and the designations remain in effect, the update underscores the ongoing U.S. commitment to countering terrorism in Somalia. However, the effectiveness of sanctions in achieving their objectives remains an open question, as Al-Shabaab continues to pose a significant threat to Somalia’s stability and security.