U.S. and Turkish Authorities Target Syrian Financial Facilitators

In a joint operation, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and authorities in the Republic of Türkiye have designated two financial facilitators of Syria-based terrorist groups Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ).

Both groups are sanctioned by the United States and the United Nations. This action demonstrates continued cooperation between the United States and Türkiye in countering the financing of terrorist groups responsible for violence and instability throughout the region. The Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance and the Turkish Ministry of Interior have concurrently implemented an asset freeze against these terrorist facilitators.

According to Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson, “As terrorist groups continue to seek access to the international financial system, collaboration with our partners increases our ability to more effectively disrupt these facilitation networks.” Nelson emphasized the Treasury's commitment to working with Türkiye and other regional partners to disrupt the flow of funds to terrorist groups and degrade their operational capacity.

This operation follows a joint U.S.-Turkish action on January 5, 2023, that disrupted critical nodes of a key financial facilitation network of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The designated individuals are targeted pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which aims to disrupt terrorist groups, their supporters, and associated assets.

The designated individuals are Omar Alsheak, also known as Abu Ahmed Zakour, and Istanbul-based Kubilay Sari.

Alsheak has held various leadership roles within HTS and its predecessor terrorist group al-Nusrah Front since 2003. Presently, he occupies a position of leadership within HTS, serving as a Shura council member, emir of the Aleppo army, and supervisor of the group's economic portfolio abroad.

Kubilay Sari has been receiving funds in Türkiye on behalf of KTJ fundraisers since early 2018, purchasing weapons systems such as firearms and mortars. Multiple Syria-based members of KTJ have identified Sari and his bank accounts as their conduit for financial transfers for terrorist operations.