The United States government has announced a substantial reward of up to $10 million for any information leading to the capture or location of Ahmed Diriye, also known as Ahmed Umar and Abu Ubaidah.
Abu Ubaidah is a prominent figure within the Somalia-based Al-Qaeda affiliated militant organization, Al-Shabaab.
The State Department Rewards for Justice Program issued a notice stating that Abu Ubaidah currently holds the position of leader within Al-Shabaab, a role he assumed subsequent to the demise of the former Al-Shabaab leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane.
Having been a trusted member of Godane’s inner circle at the time of his death, Abu Ubaidah’s association with Al-Shabaab spans a significant period. The United States has connected him to numerous attacks in the East African region, with Kenya being among the targeted countries.
“Under his leadership, AS terrorists have conducted attacks in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and Djibouti that have resulted in the death of hundreds of individuals,” stated the US State Department on Thursday.
Prior to assuming the leadership position, Abu Ubaidah held various key roles within Al-Shabaab. He served as Godane’s assistant, acted as the deputy governor of the Lower Juba region of Somalia in 2008, and held the position of governor for the Bay and Bakool regions of Somalia in 2009.
By 2013, Abu Ubaidah had risen to the position of senior adviser to Godane and was responsible for overseeing Al-Shabaab’s domestic activities as part of the group’s “Interior Department.” Sharing Godane’s vision, he sees Al-Shabaab’s acts of terrorism in Somalia as integral to Al-Qaeda’s broader global agenda.
Recognizing the severity of Abu Ubaidah’s threat, the U.S. Department of State designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on April 21, 2015, under Executive Order 13224. This designation imposes strict measures, including the freezing of assets and prohibition of transactions involving Abu Ubaidah for U.S. individuals and entities.
Furthermore, the Department of State had previously designated Al-Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in March 2008. In April 2010, the UN Security Council’s Somalia Sanctions Committee added Al-Shabaab to the 1844 Sanctions List, pursuant to resolution 1844 (2008).
