American hostage killed in Yemen

A US journalist held hostage in Yemen has been killed during a rescue mission which failed to set him free, the journalist’s sister said on Saturday.

Luke Somers, a British-born American photojournalist, 33, was held hostage by Yemen’s local al-Qaeda branch, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, since September 2013.

The militants posted a video on Thursday and threatened to kill him in three days unless the US meets their demands.

Somers’ sister, Lucy Somers, told the Associated Press that FBI agents told her and her father about Luke’s death on Saturday.

“We ask that all of Luke’s family members be allowed to mourn in peace,” Lucy Somers said from London.

Apparently, there were two separate operations, one by US commandoes on Friday and the other by Yemeni armed forces early on Saturday.

According to Yemeni Defense Ministry’s website, an American hostage was freed following Yemeni armed forces’ operation during which ten militants were killed.

However, according to the US State Department, the outcome of the operation was not clear as there were conflicting reports about it.

Meanwhile, a senior US official confirmed that Somers was killed during the US rescue operation on Friday.

At least nine people were killed in the US drone strike in Yemen’s southern province of Shabwa. Local officials said on Saturday that the victims were al-Qaeda militants.

The US carries out targeted killings through drone strikes in several Muslim countries, such as Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia.