Three Cypriot Companies Sanctioned by the United States

Three Cypriot companies have been included in the sanction list imposed by the US government. The reason was their alleged connection with the Islamist militant group "Al-Shabaab."

According to local media reports, the companies are Haleel Finance Ltd, Haleel Holdings Ltd, and Haleel Ltd. All of them are located in Limassol and are subsidiaries of Haleel Commodities LLC, based in Dubai.

The US Department of the Treasury characterized the parent company as a key financial intermediary for the "Al-Shabaab" group, which relies on the leaders of the "Khalil" group, as well as its branches and subsidiaries in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and Cyprus, for the creation and laundering of funds.

Also, a person named Farhan Hussain Haider was included in the latest sanctions list. According to the US Department of the Treasury, he oversees and manages the branches of the Haleel Group in Kenya, Uganda, Cyprus, and the UAE.

Farhan Hussain Haider, born in 1986, is a Kenyan citizen. The US Department of the Treasury stated that he supports "Al-Shabaab" by generating funds for the group through the listed enterprises.

"Al-Shabaab" operates in Somalia and Kenya and actively participates in the ongoing civil war in Somalia. The organization has been supporting Al-Qaeda since 2012.

It has been designated as a terrorist organization in the US and the UK, as well as in other countries.