The U.S. Department of State has announced the designation of three ISIS-affiliated groups—ISIS-West Africa, ISIS-Philippines, and ISIS-Bangladesh—as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224 and as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This action prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with these groups, blocks their property under U.S. jurisdiction, and criminalizes providing support to them.
Additionally, four other ISIS-affiliated groups—ISIS-Somalia, Jund al-Khilafah-Tunisia, ISIS-Egypt, and the Maute Group—and two leaders, Mahad Moalim and Abu Musab al-Barnawi, have been designated as SDGTs. "These designations target key ISIS-affiliated groups and leaders outside its fallen caliphate in Iraq and Syria," said Nathan A. Sales, Coordinator for Counterterrorism. "Today’s actions are a critical step in degrading ISIS’s global network."
The announcement provides details on each group’s formation and activities. For instance, Boko Haram's leader pledged allegiance to ISIS in March 2015, renaming it ISIS-West Africa with Abu Musab al-Barnawi appointed as its leader after a split within the group.
In June 2016, militants in the Philippines pledged allegiance to ISIS through a video featuring now-deceased Isnilon Hapilon as leader of ISIS-Philippines. The Maute Group is integral to this faction.
ISIS-Bangladesh began operations by pledging allegiance to ISIS in August 2014 and claimed responsibility for several attacks including a deadly assault on Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery in July 2016.
ISIS-Somalia formed when Abdiqadr Mumin defected from al-Shabaab with followers in October 2015; Mahad Moalim acts as deputy leader facilitating arms shipments from Yemen.
Jund al-Khilafah-Tunisia emerged in early 2014 pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by December that year; it has conducted multiple attacks within Tunisia.
ISIS-Egypt was announced distinct from the Sinai Province group in May 2017 with numerous claimed attacks such as bombing Cairo's Coptic Christian cathedral.
These designations aim to notify both the U.S. public and international community about these entities' involvement or potential involvement in terrorism-related activities while isolating them financially.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy involving collaboration with the Global Coalition against ISIS focusing on dismantling safe havens for terrorists along with cutting off financial resources among other measures.
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