Rep. Ilhan Omar’s late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, has been described by a historian as having misrepresented his background to U.S. authorities, contradicting longstanding accounts provided by the congresswoman. Omar, who represents Minnesota, has characterized her father as an educator and refugee who fled Somalia’s civil war and arrived in the United States in 1995. However, an Oxford University scholar specializing in Somali history said Nur Omar Mohamed was, in fact, a senior military officer in the regime of former Somali dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

According to historian Mohamed Haji Ingiriis, Nur held the rank of colonel in Siad Barre’s military and was closely associated with the regime responsible for widespread violence during its rule. Ingiriis said Nur “was never an educator” as portrayed but was instead “loyal to the regime until the end” and actively involved in the state apparatus implicated in the turmoil that led many Somalis to flee the country.

Nur Omar Mohamed was born in Bandarbayla, a coastal town in Somalia’s semiautonomous Puntland region. He reportedly joined the Somali military in the late 1960s, with differing accounts about his training, either in the Soviet Union or Egypt. He rose through the ranks during Siad Barre’s rule, which began in a 1969 coup supported initially by the Soviet Union. Under Barre’s leadership, Somalia experienced significant repression and conflict, including a civil war responsible for the deaths of up to 200,000 people.

The claims about Nur’s military background have emerged amid an ongoing federal investigation involving Rep. Omar. The congresswoman’s residence was searched by federal agents earlier this week as part of an inquiry into potential criminal fraud, although no charges have been filed and details remain limited.

U.S. immigration law excludes from refugee status anyone who has participated in persecution based on factors such as race, religion, or political opinion. If accurate, the historian’s depiction of Nur would place him squarely within those restrictions. Nur Omar Mohamed died in June 2020 from complications related to COVID-19 at age 67.

This account contrasts with Omar’s public and literary portrayal of her father, particularly in her memoir published in 2020, which framed him as a civilian educator and a victim of Somalia’s brutal conflict. The historian’s assertions add complexity to the narrative of Omar’s family history amid a contentious political and legal environment. Officials have not commented on the allegations concerning Nur Omar Mohamed’s past.