Pentagon move sparks local anger as clan leaders reject militant ties.
The U.S. military confirmed Wednesday that a September 13 airstrike in Somaliland’s northern Sanaag region killed Abdullahi Omar Abdi, a prominent traditional elder, describing him as a weapons trafficker for the extremist group Al-Shabab.
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strike near Badhan targeted “an Al-Shabab member responsible for procuring and transferring illegal weapons,” and was conducted in coordination with Somalia’s federal government and armed forces. “We will continue precision strikes to degrade Al-Shabab’s ability to threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces and our citizens abroad,” AFRICOM said in a statement.
But the announcement has fueled controversy in Somalia, where relatives and local leaders insist Abdi was not a militant but a respected elder and peace mediator. Family members said he had recently met Puntland’s president in Bosaso as part of a local development committee, and accused the U.S. of killing a civilian under false intelligence.
“He was a mediator, not a terrorist,” one relative told local media, adding that Abdi was traveling alone when his vehicle was struck. Community figures described him as an outspoken critic of the newly declared Northeastern administration in Las Anod, a political hotspot that has deepened Somaliland–Puntland tensions.
Puntland investigators said parts of Abdi’s remains were recovered about 25 kilometers outside Badhan, along with evidence that U.S. intelligence had tracked suspected Al-Shabab affiliates moving through the area. Police commander Col. Aden Ahmed Ali said an inquiry is ongoing and urged residents “to remain calm until the facts are established.”
The strike initially triggered speculation in Sanaag, where some residents accused Puntland authorities or the United Arab Emirates of involvement before AFRICOM acknowledged responsibility.
Abdi is the first Somali elder publicly identified as killed in a U.S. strike — a precedent that has drawn sharp criticism from traditional leaders. The Northeastern regional administration in Las Anod condemned the attack, warning that targeting elders “harms the peace and stability of the Somali people” and urging Mogadishu to protect Somali airspace.
Traditional leaders from Sanaag and Haylan have also petitioned Puntland’s president to intervene, warning that killing respected figures risks fueling political divides at a volatile moment for the region.
The episode underscores the fraught nature of Washington’s counterterrorism campaign in Somalia: a balancing act between degrading Al-Shabab’s capabilities and avoiding civilian casualties that risk undermining local legitimacy.
