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The man arrested is Abdiweli Mohamed Aw Yusuf, also known by his alias Abdiweli Walalac. He was the head of finance and foreign relations for ISIS-Somalia — a critical role that gave him major influence over how the group operated across Somalia and beyond. During the raid, two other individuals were also taken into custody.
Abdiweli’s capture is being called a major blow to ISIS-Somalia, as he played a central role in managing the group’s finances, including funding operations, recruiting fighters from abroad, and acquiring weapons and ammunition.
Back in July 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department officially added Abdiweli to the Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) list. That meant all his financial assets were frozen, and it became illegal for anyone in the U.S. or allied countries to do business with him.
According to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Abdiweli was responsible for moving money and people in and out of Somalia to support ISIS operations, not just locally but across Africa. He was also deeply involved in coordinating with other extremist leaders, including Abdirahman Fahiye Isse and Abdiqadir Mumin, both of whom were previously designated as global terrorists.
Since 2019, Abdiweli has acted as the group’s chief financial officer. Under his watch, ISIS-Somalia became one of the key financial and strategic hubs for ISIS networks operating in Africa. OFAC described his role as essential in helping the group grow and survive through financial schemes and global connections.
A large part of ISIS-Somalia’s money came from extortion. The group is known for targeting banks, small businesses, and mobile money operators in Somalia. They would often threaten violence unless paid off, using the country’s weak financial controls and unstable government to avoid detection.
Reports show that the group collected nearly $2 million in extortion money in 2022, slightly less than the $2.5 million they gathered the year before. Most of the money was moved through mobile banking platforms and hawala systems — informal money transfer networks that are hard to trace.
Security experts believe that removing Abdiweli from the picture will seriously weaken the group’s ability to function. He was not just a money man — he also helped shape the group’s strategy and kept their global connections alive. His arrest could lead to communication breakdowns within the network and slow the planning of future attacks.
A brief statement on the official website of Operation Hilaac — the counterterrorism mission involving Puntland and U.S. forces — confirmed the operation but gave limited details. Officials say more operations may follow, as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle extremist groups operating in Somalia’s remote regions.
For Puntland, the arrest sends a strong message that it is serious about fighting terrorism within its borders. For the U.S., the operation marks another step in its support for regional partners in curbing the spread of terrorism in East Africa.
The joint success also shows that international cooperation continues to be an effective tool in tracking, capturing, and disrupting high-value terrorist targets, especially in complex and unstable environments like Somalia.
As investigations continue, security officials are hoping to gather further intelligence from the captured men to help identify and dismantle remaining ISIS-Somalia cells.