The son of former Somali dictator Siad Barre, who ruled the country for two decades and is accused of orchestrating the deaths of up to 200,000 people, is living in Columbus, Ohio. Ayanle Siad Barre, identified by historians as his father's "right-hand man" during the brutal regime, has been linked to a Medicare-funded home healthcare business that claimed $1.8 million.
Barre's children, Ayanle, 61, and his sister Deka Mohamed Siad, 69, reportedly arrived in the U.S. shortly after their father was overthrown in 1991. Their presence in Ohio, home to one of the largest Somali communities in the United States, has caused distress among refugees and victims of the dictatorship.
"Siad Barre and his men committed so many war crimes so I was shocked to see his son [Ayanle] in the mosque enjoying his freedom," said Ali-Guban Mohamed, 64, whose family fled Somalia to escape the regime. Mohamed stated that his own family members were executed and their bodies disposed of in a well, a practice he described as widespread under Barre's rule.
Ayanle Siad Barre, who historians and human rights campaigners say served as head of Barre's administration in the final years of the dictatorship, resides in a suburban home in Columbus. He has not publicly denounced his father's regime. Attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful. He has also been associated with a translation services company, a coffee business, and a non-profit organization called Somali Immigrants Achieving Democracy.
Deka Siad, along with her late husband, former Somali ambassador Abdikarim Ali Omar, operated Vanguard Home Health Care. The company received over $1.8 million in Medicare funding before it closed after Omar's death in January 2021. Deka Siad is described as a prominent speaker within the Somali community in Columbus.
Historian Mohamed Haji Ingiriis stated that Ayanle was instrumental in managing the day-to-day activities of the regime with an "iron-fist" when his father was temporarily incapacitated, holding the power to appoint and dismiss officials on behalf of the dictator. Ingiriis also claimed that Barre's children benefited significantly from embezzled assets.
Victims of the regime expressed outrage and pain at the Barre children's presence in the U.S. Faisah Abdullahi, who was a child when her family fled the country due to indiscriminate bombings, described the trauma of living through attacks where soldiers ransacked homes and laid landmines. She recounted feeling "sick" upon encountering one of Barre's daughters at a local community center.
"It feels very bad to know Ayanle is here. Others are scared to speak out but I don't care. People need to know the truth. He was supposed to be the one who took over from his father, like Saddam Hussein's son," Mohamed added, highlighting the fear of repretition and the lack of accountability.
Human rights activist Suleiman Bolaleh noted that the evidence of atrocities committed during Barre's regime includes ethnic cleansing, torture, indiscriminate bombing, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. He described soldiers going door-to-door to round up young men and children, who were then murdered and buried in mass graves. Bolaleh called for an investigation into the family to determine their knowledge of and involvement in these crimes, and to reclaim any proceeds inherited from the dictator.
Barre seized power in a 1969 coup and died in exile in Nigeria in 1995. His regime was known for its oppressive tactics, including the "Isaaq Genocide," which involved aerial bombardments, poisoned wells, and landmines. The Barre family's presence in Columbus has divided the local Somali community, with some remaining loyal to the former dictator.
"The American immigration system is broken," Mohamed stated. "ICE is rounding up and deporting people but the children of a known dictator with serious allegations of murder are living here."