U.S. forces captured Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the finance chief of the Somalia-based affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), during a ground operation in Puntland’s Iskushuban District in northeastern Somalia on Friday.
In a statement issued Saturday, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that its forces had conducted an operation against the ISIS-Somalia terrorist network in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia. AFRICOM did not disclose further details, stating that information about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operational security.
In a post on X, the Puntland Security Forces confirmed that Yusuf, also known as Abdiweli Walalac, was the target of the raid. They reported that he was captured along with two others in Laag, Xumbeys.
🚨 #ISIS foreign liaison & finance chief Abdiweli Mohamed Aw Yusuf (Abdiweli Walalac) was captured with 2 others in Laag, Xumbeys. The operation was carried out by Puntland’s U.S🇺🇸 partners supporting #Puntland’s Counter-Terrorism Operations. @USAfricaCommand @US2SOMALIA #Somalia pic.twitter.com/gRdIP5WQW4
— Puntland Counter-Terrorism Operations (@PL_CTOperations) July 25, 2025
In 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Yusuf as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and imposed sanctions against him
According to the department, Yusuf played a central role in facilitating the movement of foreign fighters, supplies, and ammunition for ISIS-Somalia, which serves as a key hub for distributing funds and strategic guidance to ISIS branches and networks across Africa.
The department said the group generates much of its revenue through extortion, often targeting local communities for money and recruits under threat of violence.
AFRICOM said it continues to work with Somali partners to “degrade ISIS-Somalia’s ability to plan and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad.”
The operation follows a series of U.S. strikes on ISIS leaders, including the March 13 killing of Abu Khadijah, the group’s global operations chief, in Iraq.
On the same day as Yusuf’s capture, U.S. forces also killed Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, a senior ISIS figure in Syria.
