WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Department of State said in a statement on Wednesday that it had updated the known aliases for designated terror groups Hezbollah and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) for sanctions purposes.
"Today’s actions notify the US public and the international community that the terrorist organizations Hezbollah and AQAP operate under and/or are known by a variety of other names," the statement said.
For Hezbollah, the aliases included Lebanese Hezbollah, External Security Organization of Hezbollah, Hezbollah International, External Services Organization (ESO), Foreign Action Unit, Foreign Relations Department (FRD), Special Operations Branch and several derivatives.
The State Department said FRD conducts covert operations worldwide, including intelligence-gathering and fundraising on behalf of Hezbollah. ESO is responsible for attacks outside Lebanon, the statement said.
The AQAP aliases included Sons of Abyan, Sons of Hadramawt, Sons of Hadramawt Committee, Civil Council of Hadramawt and National Hadramawt Council, proxies the State Department said help the terror organization govern territory under its control.
