Globally, Al-Shabaab may not be as infamous as the likes of Islamic State, Al-Qaeda or the Taliban, but the Somali-based organisation is one of the four deadliest terrorist groups in the world. GettyBehind its campaign of violence lies a sophisticated financing network based, in part, on trade in charcoal. The charcoal in question comes from acacia trees and is prized in the Gulf because it burns for longer than charcoal from other sources. Between November 2017 and February 2018 most exports went to Oman, where they were unloaded at Duqm and Shinas ports. Compared to figures from other sources, the Monitoring Group's latest estimates suggest a clear decline in the value of the trade.

Source: Forbes May 27, 2019 13:30 UTC