An American and a South-African were killed in Yemen during an attempted rescue mission, according to the Associated Press.
Luke Somers, an American photojournalist, and Pierre Korkie, as South African aid worker, had been held hostage by al-Qaeda since September 2013 and May 2014, respectively.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released a video on Thursday asserting they would kill Somers if the United States failed to concede to publically unknown demands.
In the second attempted rescue mission by U.S. forces in last two weeks, the rescue team was sighted as they approached the compound, and fighting broke out. An al-Qaeda militant shot the hostages, critically wounding them. The U.S. team rushed both hostages to receive medical care, but both died before they could be treated.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel confirmed both deaths Saturday, and stated that the mission was an “order of the President of the United States” because “there were compelling reasons to believe Somers’ life was in imminent danger.”
Before his death, Somers’ sister, Lucy Somers, posted a video requesting that her brother’s captors “please let him leave.” She has since asked that “all of Luke’s family members be allowed to mourn in peace.”
