REP. ILHAN OMAR, D-Minn., has joined the growing voices of elected officials and advocates urging the Pentagon to address a Somali family’s plight following The Intercept’s investigation into a 2018 U.S. drone strike that claimed the lives of a woman and her 4-year-old daughter.
Omar, a Somali American, called upon the Pentagon to reach out to the family of Luul Dahir Mohamed and Mariam Shilow Muse and provide compensation. Expressing concern, Omar stated, “To date, the Department of Defense has refused to even respond or acknowledge repeated outreach from Luul and Mariam’s family, much less offer condolence payments.”
She emphasized the importance of acknowledging the truth, providing authorized compensation, and facilitating independent investigations into these attacks to honor the victims’ families.
The congresswoman argued that the U.S. drone program, spanning two decades, is fundamentally flawed and has resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent people. She urged genuine commitment to human rights and peace, stating, “When we say we champion human rights and peace, we should mean it.”
Omar’s call for action aligns with Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., who made a similar demand earlier in the month, and a December 2023 open letter from 24 human rights organizations, urging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to compensate the family for the tragic deaths.
The 2018 drone strike in Somalia, occurring on April 1, claimed at least three, possibly five, civilian lives, including Luul and her daughter. A formerly classified U.S. military investigation obtained by The Intercept acknowledged the deaths but claimed the identities might never be known.
Despite the family’s repeated attempts to contact the U.S. government, including through U.S. Africa Command’s online civilian casualty reporting portal, they received no response.
In response to growing concerns, the Defense Department released the “Instruction on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response,” outlining policies for mitigating and responding to civilian harm. The Pentagon spokesperson, Lisa Lawrence, emphasized the commitment to mitigating civilian harm but couldn’t confirm whether Defense Secretary Austin intends to contact Luul and Mariam’s family, stating, “I don’t have that information.”
