Investigators: Clan elder killed in AFRICOM strike was a peace envoy, not militant

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025

GAROWE, Somalia — APuntland State-appointed committee investigating the death of traditional elder Omar Abdillahi Abdi concluded that he was the sole casualty of a U.S. airstrike near Ceel Buh on Sept. 13, contradicting U.S. Africa Command’s assertion that the operation did not harm civilians.

The committee’s report, compiled from Puntland State security agencies and witness testimonies, said Omar — widely known as Chief Omar — left Ceel Buh in the Sanaag region on Sept. 13 bound for Badhan district to join reconciliation talks between two local clans. He was part of a peace delegation led by Sultan Abdisalan and was driving alone in a Suzuki when he was struck, the report said.

Investigators said Omar was an officially registered traditional leader with the Puntland State Ministry of Interior and a well-known community mobilizer who played an active role in peacebuilding in Sanaag. The Criminal Investigation Department and other security entities confirmed he had no criminal or security record, according to the report.

The inquiry presented missile fragments and photographs from the impact site and displayed Omar’s vehicle as part of its evidence. The committee said the analysis identified the type of weapon used and that DNA testing confirmed one male died at the scene, aligning with witness accounts that the elder was traveling alone.

The report stated that U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) acknowledged conducting the Sept. 13 airstrike in the Jicanyo area near Ceel Buh. In a previous statement, AFRICOM said the operation targeted an al-Shabaab weapons dealer and “did not injure or kill civilians.” The command did not publicly identify the individual killed.

Local officials and residents insist the time and location cited by AFRICOM match the strike that killed Omar, whom they describe as a lifelong peacemaker with no ties to militant activity. The committee echoed that characterization, concluding that Omar was a peaceful figure who dedicated his life to serving his community and had no links to criminal or extremist networks.

Ceel Buh residents have intensified calls for accountability and transparency in the wake of the committee’s findings, urging authorities and international partners to clarify how a registered elder en route to mediation was mistaken for a militant target. The lack of clear identification by AFRICOM has deepened mistrust, community leaders say, and fueled demands for an independent investigation.

The committee’s publication marks the most detailed accounting yet of the incident from Puntland State authorities. It offers a forensic timeline — from the elder’s departure from Ceel Buh for reconciliation talks to the presentation of missile remnants and DNA results — that directly challenges AFRICOM’s assertion of zero civilian harm while stopping short of specifying whether misidentification, faulty intelligence or procedural error led to the strike.

As pressure builds, residents of Ceel Buh and the wider Sanaag region say they want an official acknowledgment of Omar’s identity from the United States and a concrete process for redress. For now, the committee’s conclusion stands: a respected traditional leader, formally recognized by Puntland State’s Interior Ministry and vetted by security services, was killed in a U.S. strike that authorities in Garowe say hit the wrong person.

The report did not specify next steps but underscored Omar’s role as a mediator committed to defusing local conflicts — a role his community says underscores the cost of the strike and the urgency of resolving the questions it raised.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.