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Ilhan Omar's dad, Nur Omar Mohammed, was a Colonel in the Somali Army during the regime of Siad Barre, a dictatorial warlord.
He passed away in Minneapolis of Covid in 2020.
What wasn't known until his death was that he RECEIVED HIS MILITARY EDUCATION IN THE SOVIET UNION
He passed away in Minneapolis of Covid in 2020.
What wasn't known until his death was that he RECEIVED HIS MILITARY EDUCATION IN THE SOVIET UNION
A local newspaper (Sahan Journal) included quotes from his family & friends about the life he led.
He was born in Somalia, trained in the USSR, was a ranking Officer in the Somali army, fled his Mogadishu compound for a Kenyan refugee camp, and ultimately emigrated to the US.
He was born in Somalia, trained in the USSR, was a ranking Officer in the Somali army, fled his Mogadishu compound for a Kenyan refugee camp, and ultimately emigrated to the US.
He "randomly" ended up working at the same rental car company in Minneapolis w/a a fellow Lieutenant Colonel he'd previously worked with in Somalia, Yusuf Ismail Faraton.
"Nur played a significant role in the war" as a Colonel in the Somali National Army (after obtaining a military education in the Soviet Union).
Oh, and he spoke 5 languages, including Russian
I've never seen any of this reported in national publications.
Here's a comparison of NYTimes coverage of his death vs. the local paper.
Here's a comparison of NYTimes coverage of his death vs. the local paper.
Oops, I forgot to link the actual article! https://sahanjournal.com/remembering-minnesotans-lost-to-covid-19/he-was-loved-by-everyone-the-somali-community-remembers-nur-omar-mohamed-who-died-of-covid-19/
Well this one sure attracted a lot of attack bots 
And here's an article from the Star-Tribune that covers some of the same info about him. https://m.startribune.com/nur-omar-mohamed-was-superdad-and-mentor-to-many-in-minneapolis-somali-community/571382132/