Who is Torek Agha?

Sanctioned on November 2nd by the United Nations:

TAi.174
Torek Agha
Date on which the narrative summary became available on the Committee's website:
02 November 2015
Date(s) on which the narrative summary was updated:
02 November 2015
Reason for listing:

Torek Agha was listed on 2 November 2015 pursuant to paragraph 2 of resolution 2160 (2014) for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” and “otherwise supporting acts or activities of” those designated and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan.

Additional information:

A senior Taliban leader as of late 2014, Torek Agha (Torek) has served on the Taliban's Quetta shura, a regional body that directs Taliban activities in southern and western Afghanistan, and played a role in raising funds from Gulf-based donors.

As of late 2014, Torek was a member of a group responsible for the Taliban leadership's strategic planning and logistics operations and also operated as a key commander and member of the Taliban's military council, and authorized and facilitated Taliban military operations. The Taliban military council is one of three command level councils and is responsible for overseeing Taliban operations and approving appointments of Taliban military leadership.

Over the years, Torek was involved in authorizing the assassination of numerous Afghan Government officials and tribal elders. Additionally, as early as 2012, he was one of four senior Taliban commanders who authorized the use of an unidentified chemical powder to assassinate senior Afghan Government officials.

After being instructed in mid-2011 by a Taliban senior leader to travel to Saudi Arabia during Ramadan to arrange external funding, in 2012 Torek and several other several other Taliban “Quetta shura” members selected mullahs to travel to Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to collect financial donations on the Taliban's behalf from both Afghan businessmen and smugglers. As of early 2012, Torek received a donation from an unidentified Arab donor with instructions to pass the money to the Taliban's provincial shadow governor of Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, for assassination operations.

Torek collected approximately $4 million from Gulf-based donors for the Taliban in 2010, the majority of which he provided to fellow senior leader and Taliban finance collector Gul Agha Ishakzai (Gul Agha) (TAi.147) The amounts and sources of Torek's multiple 2010 Taliban fundraising transfers to Gul Agha were as follows: $1 million from associates in Saudi Arabia; $2 million from donors in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia; and $600,000 from various Arab donors obtained on a fundraising trip to Qatar.

As of late 2009, Torek held $2 million from unidentified Qatar and Saudi Arabia donors intended for the Taliban's “Quetta shura” treasurer. The substantial donations Torek collected for the Taliban “Quetta shura” during Ramadan were held in unidentified Pakistani banks and were under the control of the Taliban's head treasurer.

In mid-2006, Torek assigned Taliban fighters to various operational Taliban commanders. He was one of the main links between the Taliban leadership and groups of Arab fighters arriving in Pakistan and Afghanistan to fight the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

As you can see, the UN has prettied up and enhanced the Narrative Summaries to make them easier to read. The list of related individuals and entities is a nice addition.

Link:

UN Narrative Summary for Torek Agha

 

Who is Sofiane Ben Goumo?

Recently added by the UN, who provides these wonderful explanations of why someone was designated:

Sofiane Ben Goumo was listed on 3 September 2015 pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4 of resolution 2161 (2014) as being associated with Al-Qaida for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of”, “supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to” and “recruiting for” the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (QDe.011), the Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (QDe.014), Ansar al-Shari’a in Tunisia (AAS-T) (QDe.143), Ansar al Charia Derna (QDe.145) and Ansar al Charia Benghazi (QDe.146).

Additional information:

Sofiane Ben Goumo is a veteran of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (QDe.011) who also fought in Afghanistan and trained in a camp led by Usama bin Laden (deceased). After being jailed for his terrorist activities in Afghanistan, he was released from Libyan Abu Salim jail in 2010. At the end of 2011, he started to create Ansar al Charia Derna (QDe.145). He is the current leader of Ansar al Charia Derna and, as such, has overall responsibility for the group’s actions.

Ansar al Charia Derna, formed in early 2012, is linked to the Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (QDe.014), and to Ansar al-Shari’a in Tunisia (AAS-T) (QDe.143), with which it has worked closely. It also operates in close cooperation with Ansar al Charia Benghazi (QDe.146).

Ansar al Charia Derna has been involved in many terrorist attacks against Libyan security forces and foreign interests in Libya, such as the attacks against the Consulate of the United States in Benghazi, causing the death of four American citizens, including the Ambassador of the United States to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens.

Sofiane Ben Goumo remains in close relationship with other listed individuals such as Seiffallah ben Hassine (QDi.333), the leader of AAS-T.

Related listed individuals and entities:

Al-Qaida (QDe.004), listed on 6 October 2001

Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (QDe.011), listed on 6 October 2001

The Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (QDe.014), listed on 6 October 2001

Ansar al-Shari’a in Tunisia (AAS-T) (QDe.143), listed on 23 September 2014

Ansar al Charia Derna (QDe.145), listed on 19 November 2014

Ansar al Charia Benghazi (QDe.146), listed on 19 November 2014

Seifallah ben Hassine (QDi.333), listed on 23 September 2014

Link:

Narrative Summary for Sofiane Ben Goumo