US-Yemeni forces in bid to free American held by Qaeda | ||
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Sanaa (AFP) - US and Yemeni forces launched a joint operation Saturday to try to rescue an American journalist held hostage by Al-Qaeda militants, a security source said. Ten militants were killed during the operation in southeast Yemen aimed at freeing photojournalist Luke Somers, the source told AFP. The Yemeni defence ministry confirmed that a "major operation" had been launched in Shabwa province. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) on Thursday threatened the imminent execution of US journalist Luke Somers who was kidnapped more than a year ago in Sanaa. The United States has said that American and Yemeni forces recently tried unsuccessfully to rescue Somers. According to Yemen's defence ministry, Al-Qaeda moved hostages, including the US journalist, a Briton and a South African, days before last month's US-Yemeni raid in southeastern Hadramawt province. Yemen is a key US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda, allowing Washington to conduct a longstanding drone war against the group on its territory. AQAP is considered by Washington as the most dangerous affiliate of Al-Qaeda.
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Saturday, December 6, 2014
US-Yemeni forces in bid to free American held by Qaeda
