American photojournalist Luke Somers, held hostage by al Qaeda in Yemen, was killed Saturday in a failed rescue attempt, his sister said - but U.S. officials were unable to confirm the reports.
The British-born hostage's sister, Lucy, told NBC News' partner ITV News and The Associated Press that the FBI had informed the family of the 33-year-old's death. U.S. officials told reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that an attempted rescue had taken place but gave no further information.
The operation took place in Shabwa province, a Yemen interior ministry official told NBC News, adding that 10 militants were also killed. It came two days after the Pentagon acknowledged an earlier U.S. commando mission to rescue Somers had failed. Teacher and photographer Somers was abducted a year ago in Sanaa where he had been working as a freelance photographer for the Yemen Times.
Al Qaeda posted a video Thursday that showed Somers and a local militant commander threatening that the hostage would meet his fate in three days if the U.S. didn't meet the group's demands.
This is a breaking news story.
- Alastair Jamieson and Charlene Gubash
First published December 6 2014, 12:02 AM
Source: Top Stories - Google News - http://ift.tt/1yVSV4t
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