US special forces swooped into Somalia to rescue two hostages, including an American aid worker, in a pre-dawn raid Wednesday that President Barack Obama said he had personally authorized. US Navy SEALs aboard at least six military helicopters flew in low over central Somalia to surprise the kidnappers, killing several in a gunbattle, before carrying to safety the two unharmed hostages, held since October. “The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice,” Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.
“This is yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand strongly against any threats to our people.” The two hostages, American Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted, a Dane, who worked for the Danish Refugee Council Demining Group, were unharmed and flown to safety, their employer said. “At least six military helicopters attacked early this morning…there was a heavy shooting that left several of the pirates dead,” said Mohamed Nur, a local security official. “The reports we have is that the freed hostages were flown to Djibouti by their rescuers,” he added, referring to the main US military base in the region.
US forces free aid workers held in Somalia
