Murdered photojournalist Luke Somers might still be alive if the US had not mounted a failed rescue mission, his family has said (AP)
UK-based family: Hostage might still be alive, had it not been for attempted US rescue mission 8 Dec 2014 The UK-based family of a British-born hostage killed by Islamic militants has said he might still be alive had it not been for an attempted US rescue mission. Luke Somers, 33, was shot by his al Qaida [al-CIAduh] captors as they fought US special forces attempting to extract him and South African teacher Pierre Korkie. Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAB) posted a video online on Thursday, threatening to kill the American citizen within three days but his stepmother Penny Bearman and half-sister Lucy Somers indicated they still had hope because previous threats had not been carried out. Ms Bearman, 55, of Deal, Kent, told the Times they were “quite angry because if there had not been a rescue attempt he would still be alive.”
13 people killed in failed US hostage rescue attempt in Yemen 7 Dec 2014 Thirteen people were killed on Saturday in a rescue mission by the United States in Yemen which failed to save two hostages held by al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), according to residents. A woman and a 10-year-old boy were among at least 11 people killed alongside two hostages when US forces fought terrorists in the failed rescue mission in Yemen, Reuters reported on Sunday. US special forces raided the village of Dafaar in Shabwa province shortly after midnight on Saturday to save Luke Somers, a British-born American photojournalist.