Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Saturday said that US journalist Luke Somers was killed by militants during an operation aimed at freeing him from Al-Qaeda kidnappers in Yemen.
"US Special Operations Forces conducted a mission in Yemen to rescue a US citizen, Luke Somers, and any other foreign nationals held hostage with him by Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) terrorists" Hagel said in a statement released during a visit to Kabul.
"Both Mr. Somers and a second non-US citizen hostage were murdered by the AQAP terrorists during the course of the operation."