Somalia, 17 September 2025 - Omar Abdullahi Abdi Ibrahim was a member of the traditional elders of the Warsangeli clan, a subgroup of the Darod, based in northern Somalia, within the Sanaag region. He came from the village of Markad, located in central Cal-Madow mountain range, part of the Las-qoray district in Sanaag.
The militant group Al-Shabaab currently controls Markad. The village is considered strategically important, due to the critical resources such as water sources and vast farmlands. Omar’s family continued to reside in Markad even after Al-Shabaab took control.
He reportedly visited them frequently. Unlike many other traditional elders, who often aligned themselves with government authorities, Ibrahim showed no hesitation in traveling to the village despite it being under Al-Shabaab’s control.
In early September 2025, Omar traveled to Bosaso, the capital of the Bari region. On 2 September, he joined a Warsangeli clan delegation that met with Puntland President Sa’id Abdullahi Deni. The delegation also included the Speaker of Puntland Parliament, a military commander, and a Member of Parliament (MP).
Following this meeting, on 3 September, Omar traveled to the Sanaag region, where his wives and children resided. However, his journey ended tragically when three missiles struck him near Jircaanyo, a settlement on the outskirts of Ceel-Buh in Sanaag.
Omar was generally regarded as supportive of the Puntland administration. However, he was not among the elders who backed the formation of the newly announced North Eastern State, a federal member state declared by the Federal Government of Somalia.
Relationship with Al-Shabaab
No official evidence or formal accusations previously linked Omar to Al-Shabaab. Nevertheless, accounts from local residents and individuals familiar with him described him as maintaining cordial relations with the group. He was said to move freely in villages under Al-Shabaab’s control, including areas where his family resided, without any hindrance.
U.S. Statement on the Airstrike
On 17 September 2025, the United States government, through U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), a military command responsible for U.S. operations in Africa, confirmed that an airstrike conducted on September 13 killed a member of Al-Shabaab traveling in areas under Badhan District, Sanaag. The statement revealed that the targeted individual was an Al-Shabaab weapons dealer.
Puntland authorities reportedly carried out the strike based on their intelligence. Members of Omar’s family, however, dismissed the claims that he was an Al-Shaab operative, accusing the Puntland administration of direct involvement in his killing.