Representative Ilhan Omar's late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, served as a colonel in the Somali National Army (SNA), according to a retired Somali military officer who spoke publicly for the first time. This account challenges previous descriptions of Nur Omar Mohamed as an educator during the family’s asylum application process to the United States in 1995.

The former military officer, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, stated that Nur Omar Mohamed was a high-ranking and influential figure within the army during the regime of former Somali dictator Siad Barre. He described Nur as a “feared” colonel known for his disciplined appearance and leadership qualities, noting that the colonel was “obviously good at what he did” and that many soldiers were wary of him.

Nur’s military career reportedly began in the late 1960s, with a specialization in air defense before transitioning to infantry roles. The officer also mentioned that Nur was among a select group trained in Egypt during the 1960s. He played a significant role in the Somali-Ethiopian conflict between July 1977 and March 1978, a vital period in Somalia’s military history. He further noted Nur’s rise to a senior position in Barre’s army after the dictator seized power in a Soviet-backed coup in 1969.

Despite the prominence of Nur Omar Mohamed’s military service, no direct evidence has emerged implicating him in war crimes. However, historian Mohamed Haji Ingiriis has suggested that Nur was complicit in supporting Barre’s authoritarian regime, which was responsible for widespread oppression and an estimated 200,000 civilian deaths over two decades.

After Barre’s overthrow in 1991, Nur fled with his family to a refugee camp in Kenya and later resettled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, he reportedly worked as a taxi driver and postal worker while remaining engaged in Puntland’s local politics and advising troops involved in clan conflicts in Somalia.

Nur Omar Mohamed passed away in 2020 from complications related to COVID-19. His daughter, Ilhan Omar, currently a U.S. congresswoman, depicted her father as an educator in her 2020 memoir, “My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman,” a portrayal that contrasts with these accounts of his military background.

This revelation comes amid an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which conducted a search of Omar’s residence. The probe reportedly concerns discrepancies related to her immigration status, including questions about her birth date. Federal agents have confiscated items including her cellphone, notebooks, and passport. The investigation, initiated during the previous administration, is reportedly focused on building a case that could potentially lead to her deportation.