US targets Islamic State in Somalia with weapons-related sanctions

The United States on Tuesday issued sanctions targeting the Islamic State in Somalia, designating members of the group and others it accused of being involved in a weapons trafficking network in the region.

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said several of the people designated in Tuesday's action have sold weapons to or were active al Shabaab members.

The al Qaeda-linked Islamist group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for car bombings on Saturday that killed at least 120 people in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. Washington last month sanctioned 14 men it said were also involved in a weapons network linked to al Shabaab.