US designates al-Shabab deputy leader as ‘global terrorist’

MOGADISHU, Somalia – The United States government has designated the deputy leader of the Somalia-based al-Shabab extremist group a “global terrorist.”

A State Department statement says the designation of Abukar Ali Adan blocks any assets of his that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. citizens from making any transactions with him.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa. It has been blamed for the October truck bombing in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, that killed 512 people.

Little is publicly known about the reclusive Ali Adan. The U.S. has designated al-Shabab as a foreign terrorist organization, and the Trump administration early last year approved expanded military efforts against the group. More than 30 U.S. drone strikes were carried out against al-Shabab last year.