WASHINGTON — The US Treasury Department on Thursday designated what it described as a Turkey-based financial network of the Islamic State (IS) that moved funds to and from Syria and Iraq. 

In a joint action with Turkey, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on four individuals and two entities accused of enabling the terrorist group’s recruitment and financial transfers. According to OFAC, the network “played a key role in money management, transfer, and distribution” for IS. 

Also on Thursday, Turkey announced an asset freeze on members of the network. In a press release, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ankara will “continue to take effective steps on countering terrorism financing and cooperate with its international partners on the issue.”

The US-designated network includes its founder, Brukan al-Khatuni, an Iraqi national living illegally in Turkey. His two sons Muhammad Abd Al Hamid and Umar Abd Al Hamid and an IS financial facilitator, Lu’ay Jasim Hammadi al-Juburi, were also designated. All are accused of facilitating money transfers to IS through their Turkey-based financial entities, Wadi Alrrafidayn for Foodstuffs and Sham Express. Both entities were hit with sanctions.