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US, South African Qaeda hostages killed in Yemen rescue bid

A grab taken from a propaganda video released by al-Malahem Media on December 4, 2014 purportedly shows US hostage Luke Somers, 33, kidnapped more than a year ago in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, saying that his life is in danger/AFP

A grab taken from a propaganda video released by al-Malahem Media on December 4, 2014 purportedly shows US hostage Luke Somers, 33, kidnapped more than a year ago in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, saying that his life is in danger/AFP

ADEN, Dec 7 – American journalist Luke Somers and a South African hostage were killed on Saturday during a failed attempt by US special forces to free them from Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen.

President Barack Obama condemned the “barbaric murder” of Somers, saying he had authorised the joint rescue operation because the life of the 33-year-old photojournalist was believed to be “in imminent danger”.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) had on Thursday threatened to execute Somers, who was kidnapped more than a year ago in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, within three days if Washington failed to meet unspecified demands.

“The callous disregard for Luke’s life is more proof of the depths of AQAP’s depravity, and further reason why the world must never cease in seeking to defeat their evil ideology,” Obama said in a statement.

South African hostage Pierre Korkie was also killed in the raid, according to a charity that had been negotiating his release.

The Gift of the Givers said that Korkie’s death came a day before he was due to be freed after more than a year in captivity.

“The psychological and emotional devastation to (his wife) Yolande and her family will be compounded by the knowledge that Pierre was to be released by Al-Qaeda tomorrow,” it said.

The South African couple, who had worked as teachers in Yemen for four years, were seized by Al-Qaeda in May 2013 in the city of Taez. The wife was released in January following mediation by Gift of the Givers.

The charity said logistical arrangements had already been put in place to fly Pierre Korkie out of Yemen under diplomatic cover after negotiations.

“It is even more tragic that the words we used in a conversation with Yolande at 5.59 this morning was ‘the wait is almost over’.

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“Three days ago we told her ‘Pierre will be home for Christmas’. We certainly did not mean it in the manner it has unfolded.”

Ten militants were killed in the joint operation in Shabwa province in southeast Yemen, Yemen’s defence ministry said.

A tribal leader said soldiers were seen parachuting into the area and residents reported heavy clashes.

Obama said that since the abduction of Somers 15 months ago, Washington had been using “every tool at our disposal” to try to secure his release.

“Luke was a photojournalist who sought through his images to convey the lives of Yemenis to the outside world,” Obama added.

“He came to Yemen in peace and was held against his will and threatened by a despicable terrorist organisation.”

Washington has a long standing policy of not negotiating with hostage-takers or paying ransoms.

The United States has said that American and Yemeni forces had already tried unsuccessfully to rescue Somers last month.

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