( CNN ) -- The United States is offering millions of dollars for the whereabouts of seven key members of the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab , a Somalia-based terror group behind bombings and attacks in the region . The announcement posted on the website of the U.S. State Department 's Rewards for Justice program offers $ 7 million for information on the location of Ahmed Abdi Aw-Mohamed , the founder of al-Shabaab . In announcing the bounties on Mohamed and his key associates Thursday , the State Department called al-Shabaab `` a threat to the stability of East Africa and to the national security interests of the United States . '' Kenyan forces take Somali town from militants . This year , he and al Qaeda 's leader , Ayman al-Zawahiri , released a joint video formally announcing a merger between the terror groups . The announcement of the bounties follows U.S. strikes that have taken out key al Qaeda leaders , including this week 's killing of Abu Yahya al-Libi -- considered the longtime public face of the group . Last year , a U.S. drone strike killed Anwar al-Awlaki and al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden was shot to death by U.S. commandos . Al-Shabaab , which has battled Somalia 's weak transitional government since 2007 , controls much of southern Somalia and is active around the capital city of Mogadishu . The U.S. listed it as a terror organization in 2008 . `` The group is responsible for the killing of thousands of Somali civilians , Somali peace activists , international aid workers , journalists and African Union peacekeepers , '' the State Department said . Kenyan blast injures 28 ; authorities disagree on cause . The State Department is also offering up to $ 5 million each for information leading to the location of four of Aw-Mohamed 's associates , who make up his inner circle : Ibrahim Haji Jama , Fuad Mohamed Khalaf , Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud , and Mukhtar Robow , who acts as the group 's spokesman and spiritual leader . In addition , it is offering up to $ 3 million each for two of the terror group 's other leaders : Zakariya Ismail Ahmed Hersi and Abdullahi Yare . Al-Shabaab 's reach extends beyond Somalia 's borders . It claimed responsibility for 2010 suicide bombings that killed more than 70 people in Uganda and threatened attacks against U.S. , Kenyan and Burundian interests in the region . Mohamed is considered al-Shabaab 's operational commander in Somalia and is believed to have been born July 10 , 1977 , in the Somali city of Hargeisa . Somali , AU troops target militant stronghold . Among Mohamed 's inner circle targeted is Jama , described by the State Department as a senior leader . He sometimes uses the alias al-Afghani , which translates as `` the Afghan , '' a nickname he was given because he fought in Afghanistan for several years . Khalaf is considered the group 's leading fundraiser , while Mahamoud is a described as a military commander , according to the Rewards for Justice site . Hersi , according to the website , is the group 's head of intelligence and Yare is the head of its media operations . The Rewards for Justice program was established in 1984 and has paid some $ 100 million to more than 70 people for information about terrorists . Rewards go as high as $ 25 million for information on al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri . The State Department calls the program `` one of the most valuable assets the U.S. government has in the fight against international terrorism . ''
The United States is offering $ 100 million for the whereabouts of al - Shabaab 's leader . The State Department calls the militant group ` ` a threat to America '' Rewards are also offered for six of his associates .