US Blacklists Companies, People for Support of Islamic State

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on four companies and two people operating in Syria, Turkey, the Gulf and Europe for providing financial and logistical support to Islamic State.

The targets were blacklisted under an executive order that imposes sanctions on terrorists and those who have provided assistance or support for terrorists, the U.S. Treasury Department said.

Turkey-based Sahloul Money Exchange Company, Al-Sultan Money Transfer Company and ACL Ithalat Ihracat were targeted for providing financial and logistical support to Islamic State, as were Turkish nationals Ismail Bayaltun and his brother Ahmet Bayaltun.

The Afghanistan-based Nejaat Social Welfare Organization and two of its senior officials, Sayed Habib Ahmad Khan and Rohullah Wakil, were also targeted for supporting activities of the Islamic State branch in Afghanistan.

In a statement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin characterized the move as a follow-up pressure tactic on the jihadi group after a U.S. special forces operations killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"Following the highly successful operation against al-Baghdadi, the Trump administration is resolved to completely destroy ISIS's remaining network of terror cells," Mnuchin said, using an acronym for the group.

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by those targeted and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.