US, Turkey blacklist Syrian militants' financial facilitators

WASHINGTON — The US Treasury Department coordinated with the government of Turkey to impose sanctions Tuesday on two men accused of serving as financial facilitators for terrorist groups in Syria’s opposition-controlled northwest.

The Treasury action targets members of US-designated terrorist groups Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ). The hard-line groups operate in northwest Syria, an impoverished part of the country that is home to a number of rival opposition groups and remains outside the control of the Syrian government. 

Added to the US sanctions list was Omar Alsheak, who the Treasury Department said has held various leadership roles in HTS and currently serves as a Shura Council member, emir of the HTS’ Aleppo army and supervisor of its economic portfolio abroad. Al-Qaeda-derived HTS wrested control of Idlib from its more moderate rivals in January 2019 and remains the northwest province’s de facto administrative authority.  

Also blacklisted on Tuesday was Istanbul-based Kubilay Sari, who KTJ members reportedly said acted as their conduit for financial transfers. According to the Treasury Department, Sari received funds in Turkey “from donors on behalf of KTJ fundraisers for the purchase of weapons systems such as firearms and mortars.” 

KTJ is a predominantly Uzbek jihadist group affiliated with al-Qaeda that primarily operates in northwest Syria’s Idlib province. In addition to its activities in Syria, KTJ was responsible for the 2016 suicide bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan and a deadly Saint Petersburg metro attack in 2017.

On Tuesday, the Turkish government implemented an asset freeze against Alsheak and Sari. Brian E. Nelson, the Treasury’s under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the United States would continue working with its partners to prevent terrorist groups from accessing the international financial system. 

“Treasury remains committed to working with Turkey and others in the region to disrupt the flow of funds to terrorist groups and to degrade their capacity to operate,” Nelson said in a statement. 

The designations announced Tuesday are the latest taken in coordination with Turkey. In January, the United States designated what it described as a Turkey-based financial network that moved funds to and from Syria and Iraq for the Islamic State. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that his country killed the leader of the Islamist militant group in Syria, identifying him as Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi. The United States did not confirm Erdogan’s claim.