Ishmael
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 18, 2011
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[h=5][/h]The Al-Shabaab militant group is making between Sh3 billion and Sh5 billion every year from the illegal sale of charcoal to finance terrorist activities in the region, a new report reveals.
The money, which goes into the groups war chest, enables it purchase and smuggle the latest models of powerful weapons, hampering efforts to end conflict in Kenya.
A joint report by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and Interpol released in Nairobi yesterday says Al-Shabaab is raking in billions through huge charcoal exports and taxing businessmen in the charcoal trade.
In one roadblock case, they have been able to make up to Sh1.5 billion (US$18 million) per year from charcoal traffic in Badhadhe in southern Somalia.
The report, dubbed Environmental Crime Crisis, says Al-Shabaab may have formed front charcoal companies the export the commodity to the Middle East and other countries, with much of the money going into purchasing advanced weapons.ADVANCED ARMSThe illegal charcoal smuggling is going on despite a February 2012 United Nations ban on charcoal export from Somalia in a bid to cut off cash to the insurgents.
The scale of finance from charcoal enables non-State armed groups to purchase advanced arms and training. The level of finance also enables them to undertake larger and more complicated military operations, taking control of road networks, border crossings and larger road, river and port infrastructure, said the report.
The overall size of the illicit charcoal export from Somalia has been estimated at between Sh31 billion and Sh33.7 billion ($360 million and $384 million) per year, with the group earning at least Sh5 billion ($56 million) of this.
According to the report, most of the charcoal from Somalia is shipped to Middle East by Somali businessmen and mainly smuggled from the port city of Kismayu. - The Standard
