In September, a U.S. drone strike in Somalia killed Omar Abdillahi, a well-known clan leader local officials and residents say had supported the local government

Mohamed Gabobe and Faisal Ali
Dec 22, 2025

In December, Puntland’s Police Force Criminal Investigation Department also released an official report into Abdullahi’s killing that contradicted the U.S. military’s claim that he was an al-Shabaab operative, a justification used for the strike. The issuance of the report pointed to unease within elements of the security establishment over the killing.

The report, which was submitted to both the Attorney General and Supreme Court of Puntland, found that Abdullahi had “no criminal record” and was not “under any investigation” by Puntland security or investigative agencies—explicitly challenging the U.S. assertion that the strike had killed an al-Shabaab operative.