US, South African hostages killed in Yemen rescue bid. (Yahoo).
American journalist Luke Somers and a South African hostage were killed on Saturday during a failed attempt by US forces to rescue them from Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen.
Somers's death was announced by US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, who said the raid was carried out because the photojournalist's life was believed to be "in imminent danger".
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) had on Thursday threatened to execute Somers, 33, who was kidnapped more than a year ago in Sanaa.
"Both Mr Somers and a second non-US citizen hostage were murdered by the AQAP terrorists during the course of the operation," Hagel said in a statement released during a visit to Kabul.
South African hostage Pierre Korkie was also killed in the raid, according to a charity that had been negotiating his release.
The Gift of the Givers said that Korkie's death came a day before he was due to be freed after more than a year in captivity.
South African Yolande Korkie, a former hostage and wife of Pierre Korkie, holds a press conference i … "The psychological and emotional devastation to (his wife) Yolande and her family will be compounded by the knowledge that Pierre was to be released by Al-Qaeda tomorrow," it said. Read the full story here, more here.
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