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One More Hostage Set to Go Free Dies in Failed US Rescue Attempt in Yemen

© Flickr / isafmediaSouth African teacher Pierre Korkie, held hostage together with a 33-year-old American photojournalist Luke Somers and set to go free on the next day after US attempted release, has died in the failed rescue operation.
South African teacher Pierre Korkie, held hostage together with a 33-year-old American photojournalist Luke Somers and set to go free on the next day after US attempted release, has died in the failed rescue operation. - Sputnik International
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South African teacher Pierre Korkie, held hostage together with a 33-year-old American photojournalist Luke Somers and set to go free on the next day after US attempted release, has died in the failed rescue operation.

MOSCOW, December 7 (Sputnik) – One more hostage held by Al Qaeda militants in Yemen has been killed in a failed US rescue operation.

© AP Photo / Korkie FamilyThis is an undated photo provided by the Korkie family, of South African Pierre Korkie
This is an undated photo provided by the Korkie family, of South African Pierre Korkie - Sputnik International
This is an undated photo provided by the Korkie family, of South African Pierre Korkie

South African teacher Pierre Korkie, who has been kept captive together with the US photojournalist Luke Somers, was killed in a rescue attempt by American Special Forces, says the official statement of the “Gift of the Givers” Foundation, the charity Korkie was working with.

“The psychological and emotional devastation to […] the family will be compounded by the knowledge that Pierre was to be released by Al Qaeda tomorrow,” says the statement on the official website of the foundation. “A team of Abyan leaders met in Aden this morning and were preparing the final security and logistical arrangements, related to hostage release mechanisms, to bring Pierre to safety and freedom”.

“All logistical arrangements were in place to safely fly Pierre out of Yemen under diplomatic cover, then to [have him] meet with family members in a "safe" country, fly to South Africa, and directly to hospital for [a] total medical evaluation and appropriate intervention,” said the statement.

Luke Somers, a 33-year-old American photojournalist, held hostage by Al Qaeda in Yemen, has been killed in a failed US rescue operation. - Sputnik International
American Hostage Killed in Failed Rescue Operation in Yemen
US special forces who tried to rescue the American hostage, however, were unaware that another captive was being held with him, the BBC reported on Sunday, quoting an unnamed senior official in the US administration.

The source added that the raid in southern Yemen was launched because “they believed there was an immediate threat to Somers' life”.

Some 40 special forces took part in the rescue attempt, which came after drone strikes in the area, the BBC quotes other US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying.

The rescuers reportedly landed by helicopter around 10 km from the compound where the hostages were being held.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest - Sputnik International
White House Refuses to Reveal Details of Hostage Rescue Operation in Yemen
Backed by Yemeni ground forces, they advanced to within 100m of the site in Shabwa Province.

A gunfight broke out when they were spotted by the militants, one of whom was briefly seen entering the compound.

US officials believe this was when the hostages were shot.

Pierre and Yolande were taken hostage in Taiz, Yemen, in May 2013, says the statement of the “Gift of the Givers” It's eleven months since Yolande has had no contact with Pierre since being freed by Anas Al Hamati from "Gift of the Givers" on January 10, 2014.

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