Somalia was the first nation on the African continent to fall victim to America’s war on terror after 9/11. However the first US drone strike in Somalia didn’t occur until 2007 and continued throughout the Obama era and intensified under the Trump administration. As of 2021, the US have have already carried out seven drone strikes in Somalia since New Years day and therefore fears are growing in many parts of the country that history may repeat itself with Joe Biden taking the helm.

In nearly every drone raid, the US claimed no civilians were hurt or killed during there bombing campaign in Somalia, however they’re often wrong and in many cases simply lying. The 2nd of February 2021 marked one year since a deadly US drone raid targeting the town of Jilib left a teenager girl dead, while three others where seriously wounded in the same incident, which is tantamount to a war crime under international law.

A year has passed since that day but the agony didn’t end there. Family members whose loved ones managed to survive that deadly drone raid reveal they’re lives have been turned upside down due to a number of death threats they’ve received at the hands of senior officials from the upper echelons of Somalia’s federal government.

Mohamed Osman Abdi, a senior editor at the state owned Somali National News Agency (SONNA) spoke with Halgan Media and detailed the agony and relentless threats his family endured following the US drone raid that targeted there home in Jilib.

During the night of the (drone) strike, Mohamed reveals he was in Mogadishu at the time, taking part in a two day long joint counter terrorism workshop hosted by the Somali government, AMISOM and AFRICOM. While on his way home that’s when he received a call from a distraught family member informing him that some of his relatives have been targeted in a (drone) strike in the vicinity of Jilib and some of them may have in fact been killed.

Mohamed didn’t know what to think at first and informed his family member he had no idea of the incident and requested that he try his best to confirm what exactly took place. Later on, Mohamed reached home and informed his wife and family that a strike had taken place in Jilib and that close relatives might have perished in the incident. Mohamed than used his wife’s phone to call the region (Middle Jubba). His reasoning behind that move was due to the fact that calls to and from Al Shabaab controlled territory are often monitored.

Mohamed feared if he used his regular cell phone registered under his name to call into Al Shabaab controlled territory, that it might bring unnecessary heat and repercussions his way knowing he’s employed with state owned media and this wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.  Upon calling the area, Mohamed discovered a female relative in her late teens was killed instantly in the (drone) strike, while three others where seriously wounded, that includes his nieces both aged 7 and 12 and there elderly aunt who is well into her 70’s.

Pic : 12 yeard old Fatima Kusow after being wounded in the US drone strike.

Pic : Elderly Khadijo Mohamed after being wounded in the US drone raid.

That same night Mohamed contacted a friend that works for the communication department of Somalia’s federal government inquiring about any information regarding a strike targeting the town of Jilib during that day. His colleague at the communications department stated he had no information but would look into it.

Two hours later, Mohamed received a text message from his friend at the communication department that stated AFRICOM had carried out a strike within the vicinity of Jilib and that one “terrorist” was killed in the operation. Upon reading that text, Mohamed was shocked and upset for obvious reasons but it than spiraled into full blown anger. AFRICOM had decided to spew fabrications and outright lies in regards to what actually happened in Jilib.

The following morning, Mohamed returned to the joint counter terrorism workshop being hosted by AFRICOM, AMISOM and the Somali government. While in the midst of the workshop, Mohamed raised his hand to ask a question. Once he was picked, Mohamed stated that “The truth is often never fully addressed and in many cases kept hidden. The losses received by the opposing side (Al Shabaab) are often made public while the same cant be said about the others”(civilians).

Mohamed went on to say, “if a strike kills five people that include three Al Shabaab members and two civilians, you guys (AFRICOM) will only publish the deaths of the Al Shabaab fighters, while the civilian losses are often brushed aside, as if it never happened”

During the heated encounter with AFRICOM, Mohamed stressed the importance of being straight forward when civilians are impacted by there operations and how hiding the deaths of non combatants (civilians) will have a negative impact on the Somali government and its allies, in particular the US.

Mohamed than brought up the overnight drone strike that targeted his family in the town of Jilib and lambasted the baseless claims by AFRICOM that accused the victims (all civilians) of being terrorists, which in fact was far from the truth and an outright lie. Following the heated encounter with AFRICOM is when Mohamed went to social media to vent his anger and that’s when his problems would soon start with his life being put in danger more than once.

A little over two weeks later on the night of Febraury 17th, Mohamed received a call shortly after the evening prayer. Upon answering the phone it was no other than the minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Mareeye). Mohamed reveals he immediately began by asking the minister if this call was related to the (drone) strike that targeted his family and the minister said yes.

Mohamed says what followed next was a mix of threats and fiery rhetoric from the minister of information. According to Mohamed the minister started demanding answers on why he would right such sensitive posts on his social media handle that made the government and there allies, namely the US look bad. The minister went further and began asking Mohamed repeatedly what they should tell AFRICOM. That’s when Mohamed realized that the federal government and its ministry of information must have come under serious pressure from AFRICOM after he spoke to the international media about his family’s ordeal.

Mohamed informed the minister that as an employee of the ministry he’s more than willing to come in and speak about the situation. During the duration of the conversation Mohamed kept on reiterating the need for accountability in the wake of the US drone strike that targeted his family’s home in Jilib but the minister kept brushing it off and even going as far as to belittle the seriousness of the situation. In one instance Mohamed Osman requested for his wounded family members in Jilib to be airlifted to Mogadishu via Kismaayo for medical treatment that’s when the minister refused and instead demanded answers on what to tell AFRICOM.

That’s when Mohamed Osman realized the conversation wasn’t getting no where and informed the minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir to tell them (AFRICOM) what you want but these are my family members and they deserve justice and just like that, the phone call ended.

The Threats Begin

Later that night, Mohamed took to Twitter to vent his anger regarding his encounter with the minister. Thirty minutes later after making that initial tweet Mohamed received a call from his colleague that works for the communications department in Somalia’s ministry of information. According to Mohamed his colleague requested that he take down the tweet due to the possibility of further negative publicity towards the Federal government of Somalia (FGS) and there allies (AFRICOM) regarding the latest US drone attack on civilians in Jilib.

His colleague informed Mohamed that he was well aware of the encounter with the minister and apologized that the minister spoke to him in such an insensitive matter but informed him that he had to remove his post. That’s when Mohamed decided to delete his tweet due to the mounting pressure he faced from the ministry as a result of speaking out publicly about the latest US drone attack on civilians, which in this case directly effected his own family.

Just days later, the threats from the ministry intensified. Minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir attempted to cancel his remaining vacation days and even went as far as attempting to block Mohamed’s promotion to chief editor at the state owned Somali National News Agency (SONNA). The minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir justified his actions by saying Mohamed Osman broke the code of conduct by speaking out publicly about the dealings between the US and Somali government.

According to Mohamed, the minister stated that there was a collateral agreement between both governments and that no one is supposed to talk about civilian casualties from the US bombing campaign. Mohamed reveals dozens of people where present in the ministry when the minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir stated these damming revelations out in the open.

Pic : The former minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir

Two days later Mohamed took part in a closed door meeting with none other than minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir and two more senior officials from the ministry. However this encounter differed from the past. Mohamed reveals those present in the room at first gave there condolences on the tragedy that befell his family but than it soon turned into a war of words.

According to Mohamed Osman, the group from the ministry led by minister Mohamed Abdi Hayir began telling him to tread lightly when it comes to the posts he makes on social media particularly when it comes to speaking on sensitive topics such as drone strikes. According to Mohamed, there reason behind this was since Mohamed Osman was an employee at state media than his claims could come back to hunt the Somali government and its international backers, which in this case is the United States.

This soon led to a heated verbal encounter between Mohamed Osman and the group from the ministry. Mohamed reveals he refused to be scolded by the officials and lashed out against them for being two-faced and putting the interest of AFRICOM over the plight of civilians that are killed and wounded in the drone attacks. That’s when the minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir abruptly got up and walked out the room.

In the days and weeks that followed Mohamed Osman encountered numerous death threats and acts of intimidation at the hands of the Federal government of Somalia (FGS). In one incident, Mohamed reveals he was approached by a senior adviser from the ministry while on the ministry grounds in what he describes as one of the most threatening encounters he endured just for speaking out about his families ordeal at the hands of AFRICOM.

Mohamed reveals the adviser addressed himself as an individual that works for both AFRICOM and AMISOM, and than informed Mohamed point blank to refrain from speaking on the US drone attack in Jilib, especially in a public manner. The senior adviser from the ministry went further and told Mohamed there is a collateral agreement between both the Somali and US government and therefore the US doesn’t compensate civilians that fall victim to there airstrikes. This brief but startling encounter reiterated the words spewed by the minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir just days before.

When asked for further details regarding the collateral agreement signed between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the United States that bars AFRICOM from any form of accountability from its bombing campaign in Somalia, Mohamed states he doesn’t know much about it but knows that it exists.

Afterwards orders where made for his arrest at the behest of the Federal Government of Somalia but called off at the last second according to Mohamed due to fears that it would led to further problems and condemnation of the Somali government. This only put Mohamed on more edge.

Mohamed has all the right to be worried in the wake of these threats from Somali authorities. It was just nine years ago when his younger brother Hassan Osman Abdi, who at the time was a senior journalist and director of Radio Shabelle was shot dead in Mogadishu. The killers where released by the Somali government just six months after the murder.

In the months that followed Mohamed Osman Abdi reveals he was in constant of fear as a result of the constant intimidation he received from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), which where only made worse he believes due to the growing pressure from AFRICOM.

Many of Mohamed’s close colleagues came forward in private and told him its best he cut back on the matter knowing next time he crosses paths with a powerful foe (AFRICOM) he might not be so lucky.

A year has passed since the US drone attack on his family and things haven’t changed. There wounds might have gone away but they’re still in a state of shock. His family is yet to get any justice or compensation despite AFRICOM later admitting to civilian deaths regarding the strike on there home in Jilib.

The minister of information, Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Mareeye) was eventually terminated due to an unrelated issue and as expected the US drone war in Somalia continues unabated.

Attached below is the full link to our interview with Mohamed Osman detailing the harrowing events that unfolded following the US drone strike on his family home and the threats and intimidation he faced from the Somali government and AFRICOM after going public with his ordeal.