Did AFRICOM and Puntland Leaders Discuss the Killing of Prominent Clan Leader in Sanaag?

Badhan (Sahan Post) – U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) officials have made their third visit to Puntland in less than three months, raising questions about whether the recurring meetings relate to the controversial killing of prominent clan elder Omar Abdullahi Abdi Ibrahim. The delegation’s two previous visits included meetings with Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, while the latest visit on Thursday involved talks at Bosaso Airport with Puntland Vice President Illyan Lugatoor. The series of unannounced, tightly controlled visits comes in the wake of the September 13, 2025

U.S. airstrike that killed Elder Omar Abdullahi in Jiicanyo, an area between Badhan and Ceelbuh, The Puntland government has also offered little public explanation, leaving families and communities in the dark about who authorized the operation and under what grounds it was carried out.

Deni Claimed No Prior Knowledge of the Strike

According to multiple sources, President Said Abdullahi Deni met in late September with Sultan Said and relatives of the slain elder. During that meeting, Deni reportedly told the family that he had no prior knowledge of the operation and had requested further clarification from AFRICOM and U.S. authorities according to source received by Sahan Post. He assured them that Puntland had no role in the killing and emphasized that Elder Omar Abdullahi was not under any suspicion or investigation within Puntland’s jurisdiction. Deni also promised the family that he would share complete information once it became available, a commitment for which no follow-up has yet been made.

Three AFRICOM Visits, No Answers for the Family

Despite AFRICOM’s repeated presence in Puntland, and reports that the command is fully aware the strike killed a respected traditional leader, Puntland officials have not delivered any updates to the family or to the broader community.

No public statement, condolence message, investigative findings, or even a preliminary report has been issued by the Puntland government. This silence has fueled speculation about what Puntland knows regarding the strike and what information AFRICOM may have shared privately with Puntland’s leadership and security commanders.

Three months after the incident, the central question remains: Why has President Deni not communicated any findings to the family or to the people of Puntland regarding the circumstances of the targeted strike?

Federal Government Points Fingers, Puntland Remains Silent

Federal Minister of Defense Ahmed Moalim Fiqi publicly blamed the Puntland administration for the killing, arguing that all operations conducted within a federal member state’s territory must be authorized and overseen by that state’s security apparatus. Puntland didn´t denied Fiqi’s accusation but remained silent on the core issue, the death of Elder Omar Abdullahi, further deepening public suspicion.

For the grieving family and the affected communities, Puntland’s refusal to provide transparency raises questions about possible prior knowledge or coordination surrounding the strike.

Communities Demand Justice and Transparency

Family members and local communities who speak to Sahan Post continued to demanding justice, accountability, and a full investigation into the circumstances of the elder’s death. As AFRICOM officials make their third visit to Puntland, the absence of clarity from both AFRICOM and Puntland authorities has become a central point of tension.

The meeting held today in Bosaso between AFRICOM and the Puntland leadership, attended by all senior security and operations commanders who work closely with AFRICOM, produced no statement whatsoever regarding the airstrike that killed Clan Elder Omar Abdullahi Abdi Ibrahim.

Sultan Said Abdusalaan, the highest traditional authority in the Sanaag region and a close companion of the late Elder Omar Abdullahi, has not received any information following President Deni’s visit and his earlier promise to clarify the matter of the killing.

Likewise, Feysal Ahmed Mohamed Wahaabi, a federal representative elected from Sanaag and a close associate of the slain elder, has remained completely silent, issuing no public comment at all. Similarly, all senior officials and politicians from Sanaag and Haylaan, including ministers and members of parliament at both the Puntland and federal levels, have largely refrained from addressing the killing of the elder apart from Sanaag Regional Adminstration who denounced the killing.

With no official reports, no independent investigation, and no clear explanation from any of the responsible entities, the killing of Elder Omar Abdullahi remains an unresolved and increasingly sensitive issue, one that now sits at the intersection of U.S. military activity, Puntland’s political leadership, and Somalia’s fragile federal dynamics.

Sahan Post
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