Somalia’s federal authorities have escalated their confrontation with self declared South West State president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, widely known as Laftagareen, and nine other individuals by imposing financial sanctions over alleged links to the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, adding a new dimension to a crisis marked by political upheaval, armed clashes and mass displacement.
Somalia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Committee (NAMLC) announced the designations on 13 October 2026, ordering financial institutions and other entities covered by Somali law to freeze assets belonging to the listed individuals, prohibit financial dealings with them and report relevant transactions to the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC).
The committee said it had assessed information and evidence suggesting that the individuals were suspected of belonging to, maintaining links with or co-operating with Al-Shabaab, including through the provision or facilitation of financial support for terrorist activities.
The announcement places the financial affairs of Laftagareen and the other designated individuals under heightened scrutiny as the confrontation between Mogadishu and forces aligned with the former regional administration continues.
Ten individuals named in sanctions order
In a notice dated 13 October, the committee said it had found sufficient legal grounds to designate the individuals under Somalia’s targeted financial sanctions framework.
Those named are:
1. Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, known as Laftagareen
2. Hassan Abdulkadir Mohamed
3. Mahad Abdirahman Adan, known as Shub
4. Ibrahim Adan Ali, known as Najah
5. Hassan Abdi Mohamed, known as Ugaas Hassan
6. Abdullahi Ali Watiin
7. Abdifatah Mahad Abdirahman
8. Abdimajid Mowlid Hassan
9. Amiin Mad Daruur
10. Abshir Aden Isak
The committee directed covered institutions and individuals to refrain from financial dealings with those listed, freeze their assets and report relevant transactions promptly to the FRC.
The notice also warns Somali citizens and other persons or organisations operating in the country against providing prohibited financial assistance or facilitating transactions involving the designated individuals. Violations may attract enforcement under applicable anti-terrorism legislation.
However, the notice does not publicly detail the underlying evidence against each individual, identify specific transactions allegedly linked to terrorist financing or establish that all ten are accused of identical conduct. The designations are not, in themselves, criminal convictions.
Baidoa fighting displaces tens of thousands
The sanctions come amid months of fighting in South West State, where federal forces and fighters loyal to Laftagareen have clashed repeatedly since his removal from power in March 2026.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration deployed federal troops to remove Laftagareen, and government forces subsequently took control of Baidoa, the region’s administrative capital.
Laftagareen, who had been re-elected for another five-year term before his removal, and forces loyal to him have since sought to regain control of the city and surrounding areas.
The fighting has caused casualties among the parties involved and forced civilians from their homes, while disrupting government operations and humanitarian activities.
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has reported that about 50,000 people were displaced by the recent fighting in South West State. Many are facing overlapping emergencies, with conflict-related displacement compounded by prolonged drought that has eroded livelihoods and restricted access to food, water and other essential resources.
Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe was elected president of South West State on 10 June 2026 following Laftagareen’s removal. His election has not brought sustained stability, with recurrent clashes continuing to disrupt daily life and the functioning of regional institutions.
The humanitarian consequences extend beyond immediate displacement. Families forced to flee conflict often lose access to livelihoods, markets and basic services, while drought further limits the resources available to displaced communities and their hosts.
Political confrontation moves into financial enforcement
Laftagareen’s removal followed a prolonged dispute with the federal government over political authority and constitutional changes. Federal forces took control of Baidoa in March, triggering a major political shift in the region and deepening divisions between Mogadishu and supporters of the former administration.
The confrontation has continued despite the change in leadership. Resistance by forces aligned with Laftagareen has sustained insecurity around Baidoa, while federal authorities have accused fighters associated with the former administration of co-operating with Al-Shabaab during attacks on the city.
Laftagareen and his allies have denied co-operating with the militant group.
The latest sanctions introduce a financial dimension to the dispute.
Rather than targeting territorial control directly, the measures seek to restrict access to assets and prevent financial transactions involving the designated individuals.
Their practical impact will depend on how widely the order is enforced, the assets and transactions within its reach, and the ability of financial institutions and other covered entities to identify and block prohibited dealings.
The measures also raise questions about the relationship between counter-terrorism enforcement and Somalia’s unresolved political divisions. The authorities say the designations are based on evidence and legal grounds; the wider political context is likely to intensify scrutiny of how the sanctions are applied.
Mahad Shub challenges the financial allegations
Mahad Abdirahman Adan, known as Shub, one of the ten individuals named in the sanctions notice, has publicly challenged the financial allegations.
Speaking recently to the Geedfadhi podcast, Shub reportedly dismissed the measures, saying authorities could sanction everything because he had neither the finances nor the capacity to fund any group.
He also claimed that he had no money in his bank accounts and challenged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to impose whatever financial restrictions he considered necessary, arguing that he had no wealth to seize.
His comments nevertheless highlight a central question surrounding the sanctions: what assets, transactions or financial relationships underpin the designations, and how will the authorities demonstrate that the measures are proportionate to the evidence?
The committee’s published notice does not provide a detailed, individualised account of the evidence against Shub or the other people listed.
Questions over evidence and due process
The committee said it had reviewed information, intelligence and evidence before determining that there were sufficient legal grounds for the designations under the applicable legislation.
But the notice does not publicly explain the specific allegations against each person or set out the procedure available to challenge a designation, seek a review or request removal from the list.
That leaves several questions for the authorities and the affected individuals. These include how the evidence will be assessed, whether further information can be disclosed where legally permissible, how financial institutions will implement the restrictions and what safeguards exist for anyone who disputes their designation.
The announcement does not establish that every person listed participated in hostilities, nor does it show that the allegations against them have been tested in court.
A test for Somalia’s federal institutions
The sanctions represent a significant escalation in Mogadishu’s pressure on figures associated with the former South West administration. They also test the federal government’s ability to enforce financial controls amid political fragmentation and continuing insecurity.
The political context will also matter. As fighting continues in South West State, the application of the sanctions is likely to be scrutinised by those concerned about the relationship between counter-terrorism measures and the broader dispute over regional authority.
For residents of Baidoa and surrounding areas, the immediate concerns remain security, displacement and access to essential resources. About 50,000 people have reportedly been displaced by the recent fighting, while drought continues to compound the humanitarian emergency.
The sanctions therefore arrive at a moment when Somalia faces two interconnected challenges: confronting suspected terrorist financing through credible legal institutions and containing a political and security crisis that continues to exact a heavy toll on civilians.