Puntland’s Human Rights Defender Office is calling on the region’s attorney general to pursue legal action and compensation following the death of a civilian in a U.S. airstrike last year.
The office said in a Jan. 17 letter that Omar Abdullahi Abdi, a traditional elder, was killed Sept. 13, 2025, in Jiicanyo village, Elbuh district, during a strike by the United States Africa Command, or AFRICOM.
Abdi was traveling alone from Elbuh town to Badhan district to attend a mediation meeting between two local clans, according to the report. An investigation by a Puntland police-appointed committee found he had no ties to armed groups and no criminal record.
Forensic analysis confirmed only one male died. Investigators also collected witness statements, photographs and missile remnants, which the report said indicate AFRICOM conducted the strike.
“The government has a constitutional duty to defend its citizens and pursue justice and compensation when their rights are violated,” the office wrote in the letter.
The office urged the attorney general to initiate legal proceedings, update the victim’s family, and provide compensation. It also called on Puntland and Somali federal authorities to engage the U.S. government, citing recent U.S. policies on civilian harm mitigation.
Attached to the letter were investigation documents, including the committee report, forensic results, photographs and witness statements.
