LASANOD (Kaab TV) – Yusuf Abdi Ali, also known as “Tukeh,” a former Somali military officer, was deported to Somalia after being found guilty of committing serious human rights violations during the 1988 conflict in northwest Somalia, now Somaliland.
Tukeh, 71, had resided in Springfield, Virginia, and served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Somali National Army, commanding the Fifth Brigade from May 1987 to July 1988.
During this time, the Somali National Army carried out atrocities including the killing, torture, and detention of civilians, burning entire towns, the unlawful use of landmines, and the destruction of water reservoirs to target civilian populations.
Arrested in November 2022, Ali was found guilty of torture and extrajudicial killings by a U.S. Department of Justice immigration judge, who issued a 65-page ruling on February 8, 2024.
The court ordered his removal to Somalia, which was carried out on December 20, 2024, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Russell Hott, acting Executive Associate Director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, stated, “The United States will not be a safe haven for those who commit human rights violations, and we will persist in our efforts to pursue justice for the victims of these crimes. Though justice was delayed in this case, it ultimately prevailed.”
Col. Tukeh has since returned to Lasanod in the Sool region, where he was reportedly welcomed by members of his clan.
Tukeh’s deportation is part of broader efforts by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, established in 2008, to identify and remove individuals responsible for genocide, torture, and other serious crimes.
Led by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the center has stopped more than 390 suspected human rights violators from entering the U.S. and removed over 1,150 known offenders.
Since 2003, ICE has arrested more than 520 individuals for human rights-related violations and currently has over 180 active investigations involving suspects from 95 countries.
This case highlights the U.S. commitment to denying safe harbor to human rights violators and ensuring justice for their victims.
Upon his arrival in Lasanod, Ali addressed a crowd of supporters, saying, “I am very glad to be here in Lasanod today. I want to thank those who have supported me over the past 32 years. I am happy to die today because I am in a free Lasanod with its strong army.”