US Takes Credit for Somalia Airstrike That Locals Say Killed Prominent Clan Elder
US Africa Command on Wednesday announced that its forces conducted an airstrike in Somalia’s northern Sanag region on September 13, the same day locals say a prominent clan elder was killed by a drone strike in the area.
According to Somali media reports, Abdullahi Omar Abdi was killed while traveling toward Badhan, a town administered by the semi-autonomous Puntland region. AFRICOM said that the airstrike was launched near Badhan and claimed it targeted an al-Shabaab arms dealer, but according to Hiiraan Online, relatives of Abdi deny that he has any ties to al-Shabaab.
In comments to the Somali Guardian, a regional elder described Abdi as a “respected figure involved in peacebuilding and mediation. There is no clear reason why he would be targeted militarily.” The report noted that airstrikes are rare in the Sanag region while the US frequently launches them in the neighboring Bari region, where the US is backing local Puntland forces in a war against an ISIS affiliate.
