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| Luke Somers, American Hostage, Is Killed During Rescue Attempt in Yemen | Luke Somers, American Hostage, Is Killed During Rescue Attempt in Yemen |
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| SANA, Yemen — Two hostages, including an American journalist, who were being held by Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen were killed during a rescue attempt by United States commandos early Saturday, American officials said. | SANA, Yemen — Two hostages, including an American journalist, who were being held by Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen were killed during a rescue attempt by United States commandos early Saturday, American officials said. |
| In a statement, President Obama said the hostages had been “murdered” by militants belonging to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula during the rescue operation. A senior United States official said that the American, Luke Somers, 33, was badly wounded when commandos reached him. By the time Mr. Somers was flown to a United States naval ship in the region, he had died from his injuries, the official said Saturday. | In a statement, President Obama said the hostages had been “murdered” by militants belonging to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula during the rescue operation. A senior United States official said that the American, Luke Somers, 33, was badly wounded when commandos reached him. By the time Mr. Somers was flown to a United States naval ship in the region, he had died from his injuries, the official said Saturday. |
| The other hostage was identified as Pierre Korkie, a South African citizen, according to a brief statement posted on the website of Gift of the Givers, a disaster relief organization that was trying to negotiate his release. | The other hostage was identified as Pierre Korkie, a South African citizen, according to a brief statement posted on the website of Gift of the Givers, a disaster relief organization that was trying to negotiate his release. |
| A Yemeni tribal leader who said he was a witness to the raid, in the southern province of Shabwa, said that two Al Qaeda militants and at least eight civilians were killed during firefights as U.S. commandos raided several homes. | A Yemeni tribal leader who said he was a witness to the raid, in the southern province of Shabwa, said that two Al Qaeda militants and at least eight civilians were killed during firefights as U.S. commandos raided several homes. |
| Mr. Obama said in his statement, “It is my highest responsibility to do everything possible to protect American citizens. As this and previous hostage rescue operations demonstrate, the United States will spare no effort to use all of its military, intelligence and diplomatic capabilities to bring Americans home safely, wherever they are located.” | Mr. Obama said in his statement, “It is my highest responsibility to do everything possible to protect American citizens. As this and previous hostage rescue operations demonstrate, the United States will spare no effort to use all of its military, intelligence and diplomatic capabilities to bring Americans home safely, wherever they are located.” |
| It was the second failed attempt to rescue Mr. Somers, a freelance photographer who was abducted from a street in the Yemeni capital in September 2013. Last month, United States commandos and Yemeni counterterrorism troops mounted a raid on a remote cave in Yemen near the border with Saudi Arabia, freeing eight other hostages but failing to locate Mr. Somers. | It was the second failed attempt to rescue Mr. Somers, a freelance photographer who was abducted from a street in the Yemeni capital in September 2013. Last month, United States commandos and Yemeni counterterrorism troops mounted a raid on a remote cave in Yemen near the border with Saudi Arabia, freeing eight other hostages but failing to locate Mr. Somers. |
| On Wednesday, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni extremist group that was holding Mr. Somers, threatened to kill him by the end of the week if its demands were not met. In the video, a leader of the group spoke of the November raid and warned the United States not to carry out any similar operations. | On Wednesday, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni extremist group that was holding Mr. Somers, threatened to kill him by the end of the week if its demands were not met. In the video, a leader of the group spoke of the November raid and warned the United States not to carry out any similar operations. |
| Mr. Somers’ family broke its silence after the video appeared, urging his captors to release him in a video of their own and insisting that they had no prior knowledge of the first rescue attempt. “Luke is only a photojournalist, and he is not responsible for any actions the U.S. government has taken,” said his brother, Jordan Somers. | Mr. Somers’ family broke its silence after the video appeared, urging his captors to release him in a video of their own and insisting that they had no prior knowledge of the first rescue attempt. “Luke is only a photojournalist, and he is not responsible for any actions the U.S. government has taken,” said his brother, Jordan Somers. |
| There was no immediate word on the fate of at least two other hostages who were believed to have been held with Mr. Somers, including citizens of Britain and Turkey. | |
| The tribal leader who said he witnessed the raid, Tarek al-Daghari al-Awlaki, said helicopters and as many as a hundred troops descended on the village, Wadi Abadan. The U.S. forces deployed concussion grenades as they raided four houses in the village, he said. | The tribal leader who said he witnessed the raid, Tarek al-Daghari al-Awlaki, said helicopters and as many as a hundred troops descended on the village, Wadi Abadan. The U.S. forces deployed concussion grenades as they raided four houses in the village, he said. |
| “The shooting caused panic,” Mr. Daghari said. “Nine of the dead are from my tribe. Two of the dead are known to be members of Al Qaeda.” He said that two wounded civilians, a woman and a child, were taken to a nearby hospital. | “The shooting caused panic,” Mr. Daghari said. “Nine of the dead are from my tribe. Two of the dead are known to be members of Al Qaeda.” He said that two wounded civilians, a woman and a child, were taken to a nearby hospital. |