2014 hostage rescue operations in Yemen

In late 2014, the United States and Yemen conducted a series of military operations to rescue multiple hostages held by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). U.S. involvement in the missions were primarily motivated by the captivity of American journalist Luke Somers, who was kidnapped by AQAP in 2013. The first raid, attempted on 25 November 2014, involved American and Yemeni special forces assaulting a cave in Hadhramaut governorate housing the hostages, killing seven AQAP fighters in the process. The raid rescued eight hostages of various nationalities, but they did not include Somers or South African teacher Pierre Korkie, who were moved to another area alongside three other hostages prior to the raid.

Later in December, AQAP released a video threatening to kill Somers within three days, prompting another rescue mission on 6 December 2014 in Shabwah governorate. Navy SEALs attempted to infiltrate the AQAP compound containing the hostages, but they were prematurely spotted by the guards, leading to a firefight. Upon entering the compound, Somers and Korkie were found shot, while the other hostages were missing. Both Somers and Korkie died while being transported to receive care.

Somers' death, occurring five months after the failed rescue attempt of James Foley, resulted in scrutiny over the United States' hostage policy, which restricts any official government negotiations or ransom considerations. Additional controversy was directed at the fact that Korkie was set to be released by AQAP one day after the raid as a result of civilian negotiations with the group. No other U.S.-led ground operation in Yemen would be officially acknowledged by the American government until 2017. Provided by Wikipedia