Mystery airstrike in Somalia kills respected clan elder

[Deeq A.]

SANAAG, Somalia – Authorities in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state have launched an investigation after a well-known traditional elder was killed in a mysterious airstrike, regional police confirmed. The attack has stirred fear and confusion in a region already struggling with complex security challenges.

Omar Abdullaahi Abdi, a respected community elder known locally as a Caaqil, died when three missiles from an unidentified warplane struck his vehicle. The attack took place near the village of Jiicaanyo in the Sanaag region as he was driving alone toward the town of Badhan.

Puntland police said local pastoralists witnessed the strike. A senior officer described the aftermath as devastating.

“We found the vehicle and the deceased’s body at the scene, which was heavily damaged,” the officer told reporters. “A preliminary investigation confirmed that he was driving the car alone when it was hit.”

The officer added that the car was targeted by an aircraft that fired “three missiles,” though the source of the plane remains unknown. “The investigation is still ongoing, and the final results will be announced later,” he said.

Family demands answers

The victim’s family has rejected any suggestion of mistaken identity, insisting he had no links to extremist groups. His brother, Ali Abdullaahi Abdi, made an emotional appeal for clarity.

“We only have the bones of the Caaqil… he never had any contact with the wanted groups,” he said. “We are waiting for a clear answer from the Puntland government.”

Police noted that the elder was an active community figure who had recently attended a government-led conference in Bosaso on developing the Sanaag region, underscoring his civic role.

No group has claimed responsibility, and Puntland has not assigned blame. However, airstrikes in Somalia are most commonly carried out by US Africa Command (AFRICOM) in support of the Somali Federal Government, usually targeting Al-Shabaab or ISIS militants.

According to monitoring groups like Airwars, AFRICOM has conducted multiple airstrikes in Puntland, including operations with local forces against an ISIS faction entrenched in the Cal Miskaad mountains on the Bari–Sanaag border.

Still, the targeting of a civilian elder is highly unusual. Locals in the Ceelbuh district, where the strike occurred, said this was the first attack of its kind in their area, leaving residents shaken and questioning the intelligence behind the strike.

 

The role of a Caaqil

In Somali society, a Caaqil is a traditional elder who mediates disputes, fosters reconciliation, and upholds the clan-based governance system—a cornerstone of community life, as recognized by institutions such as the European Union Agency for Asylum.

The killing of such a figure threatens to undermine social trust and weaken local governance structures.

As the investigation continues, residents of Sanaag—and the family of Omar Abdullaahi Abdi—are left waiting for answers, struggling to understand how a man of peace became the victim of a military strike.