U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia

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Rightey
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PostU.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Rightey » Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:30 pm

Anyone else hear about this?

The same U.S. Navy SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden parachuted into Somalia under cover of darkness early Wednesday and crept up to an outdoor camp where an American woman and Danish man were being held hostage.

Soon, nine kidnappers were dead and both hostages were freed.

President Barack Obama authorized the mission by SEAL Team Six two days earlier, and minutes after he gave his state of the union address to Congress he was on the phone with the American's father to tell him his daughter was safe.

The Danish Refugee Council confirmed the two aid workers, American Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, were "on their way to be reunited with their families."

Buchanan, 32, and Thisted, 60, were working with a de-mining unit of the Danish Refugee Council when gunmen kidnapped them in October.

The raiders came in quickly, catching the guards as they were sleeping after having chewed the narcotic leaf khat for much of the evening, a pirate who gave his name as Bile Hussein told The Associated Press by phone. Hussein said he was not present at the site but had spoken with other pirates who were, and that they told him nine pirates had been killed in the raid and three were "taken away."
American's health 'deteriorating rapidly'

A U.S. official confirmed media reports that the SEALs parachuted into the area before moving on foot to the target. The official said SEAL Team Six carried out the mission, the same team that killed al-Qaeda leader bin Laden in Pakistan last May. The raid happened near the Somali town of Adado.

New intelligence emerged last week that Buchanan's health was "deteriorating rapidly," so Obama directed his security team to develop a rescue plan, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
U.S. President Barack Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle Obama, on a phone call from the Capitol in Washington immediately after his state of the union address, informing John Buchanan that his daughter, Jessica, was rescued U.S. forces in Somalia. U.S. President Barack Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle Obama, on a phone call from the Capitol in Washington immediately after his state of the union address, informing John Buchanan that his daughter, Jessica, was rescued U.S. forces in Somalia. (Pete Souza, White House/Associated Press)

"As commander-in-chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out this mission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts," Obama said in a statement released by the White House. "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."

A Western official said the rescuers and the freed hostages flew by helicopter to a U.S. military base called Camp Lemonnier in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been released publicly. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta visited Camp Lemonnier just over a month ago. A key U.S. ally in this region, Djibouti has the only U.S. base in sub-Saharan Africa. It hosts the military's Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

Buchanan lived in neighboring Kenya before Somalia, and worked at a school in Nairobi called the Rosslyn Academy from 2007-09, said Rob Beyer, the dean of students. He described the American as easy to laugh and adventurous.

"There have been tears on and around the campus today," Beyer said. "She was well-loved by all her students."

The timing of the raid may have been made more urgent by Buchanan's medical condition. The Danish Refugee Council had been trying to work with Somali elders to win the hostages' freedom but had found little success.

"One of the hostages has a disease that was very serious and that had to be solved," Danish Foreign Minister Villy Soevndal told Denmark's TV2 channel. Soevndal did not provide any more details. Soevndal congratulated the Americans for the raid.

The Danish Refugee Council said both freed hostages are unharmed "and at a safe location." The group said in a separate statement that the two "are on their way to be reunited with their families."

Ann Mary Olsen, head of the Danish Refugee Council's international department, informed Hagen Thisted' family of of the successful military operation and said "they were very happy and incredibly relieved that it is over."

The two aid workers appear to have been kidnapped by criminals, sometimes referred to as pirates, and not by Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked militant group al-Shabab. As large ships at sea have increased their defences against pirate attacks, gangs have looked for other money making opportunities like land-based kidnappings.
Somali elder happy with captives' release

The Danish Refugee Council had earlier enlisted traditional Somali elders and members of civil society to seek the release of the two hostages.

"We are really happy with the successful release of the innocents kidnapped by evildoers," said Mohamud Sahal, an elder in Galkayo town, by phone. "They were guests who were treated brutally. That was against Islam and our culture ... These men [pirates] have spoiled our good customs and culture, so Somalis should fight back."

Buchanan and Hagen Thisted were seized in October from the portion of Galkayo town under the control of a government-allied clan militia. The aid agency has said that Somalis held demonstrations demanding the pair's quick release.

Their Somali colleague was detained by police on suspicion of being involved in their kidnapping.

The two hostages were working in northern Somalia for the Danish Demining Group, whose experts have been clearing mines and unexploded ordnance in conflict zones in Africa and the Middle East.

Several hostages are still being held in Somalia, including a British tourist, two Spanish doctors seized from neighboring Kenya, and an American journalist kidnapped on Saturday.

Pelloki on ghosts wrote:Just start masturbating furiously. That'll make them go away.

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Fargo
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Fargo » Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:39 pm



President Obama was caught congratulating the secretary of defence at the state of the union address.

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Turboman
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Turboman » Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:42 pm

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Errkal wrote:It is amasing how people dont seem to be abel to do that.
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Qikz » Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:46 pm

That Navy Seals team are strawberry floating badasses. Give those guys 10x medals.

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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Igor » Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:58 pm

StayDead wrote:That Navy Seals team are strawberry floating badasses. Give those guys 10x medals.


This. I bet they're getting their dicks sucked right now. Before they ride off on motorcycles or something.

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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by The People's ElboReformat » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:02 pm

I ain't clued up with this kind of thing, but can they legally just swoop into another country and kill 9 people, even if they were kidnappers?


Either way, still pretty badass.

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smurphy
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by smurphy » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:04 pm

That's why these guys exist. They don't count as regular armed forces so they can do all sorts of cool illegal gooseberry fool.

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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by $ilva $hadow » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:05 pm

the-elbo wrote:I ain't clued up with this kind of thing, but can they legally just swoop into another country and kill 9 people, even if they were kidnappers?


Either way, still pretty badass.





It's illegal in international law. No one will make a fuss though as Somalia is kidnapping everyone they can for ransom.

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Mockmaster
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Mockmaster » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:09 pm

I still remember the day Seal Team 6 nailed Osama. 4ch*n had 'America strawberry float Yeah' on constant loop on their boards :lol:

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Preezy
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Preezy » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:17 pm

I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

Guess I'll have to make to with Seal Team 4 :(

In all seriousness though, it's great to know that there are still awesome super-badass good guys out there. I hope the SAS would have been authorised to do the same if it were British hostages.

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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Igor » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:25 pm

Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

Guess I'll have to make to with Seal Team 4 :(

In all seriousness though, it's great to know that there are still awesome super-badass good guys out there. I hope the SAS would have been authorised to do the same if it were British hostages.


It's all about the SBS nowadays.

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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by 7256930752 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:32 pm

Igor wrote:
Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

Guess I'll have to make to with Seal Team 4 :(

In all seriousness though, it's great to know that there are still awesome super-badass good guys out there. I hope the SAS would have been authorised to do the same if it were British hostages.


It's all about the SBS nowadays.

It's a shame the name makes them sound like the spec ops reserve team.

Anyway, am I being silly or wasn't it reported that at least some of the Navy Seals team that killed Bin Laden were killed in an RPG attack on a chinook?

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Lagamorph
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Lagamorph » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:39 pm

They should do this every time someone's held hostage in Somalia. Bust in their and kick some pirate ass. Send a message. Don't dick with us when we sail on by assholes.

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Ecno
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Ecno » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:42 pm

Hime123 wrote:
Igor wrote:
Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

Guess I'll have to make to with Seal Team 4 :(

In all seriousness though, it's great to know that there are still awesome super-badass good guys out there. I hope the SAS would have been authorised to do the same if it were British hostages.


It's all about the SBS nowadays.

It's a shame the name makes them sound like the spec ops reserve team.

Anyway, am I being silly or wasn't it reported that at least some of the Navy Seals team that killed Bin Laden were killed in an RPG attack on a chinook?


I think it was Seal Team 6 but no one actually involved in the raid.

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Rightey
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Rightey » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:42 pm

Hime123 wrote:
Igor wrote:
Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

Guess I'll have to make to with Seal Team 4 :(

In all seriousness though, it's great to know that there are still awesome super-badass good guys out there. I hope the SAS would have been authorised to do the same if it were British hostages.


It's all about the SBS nowadays.

It's a shame the name makes them sound like the spec ops reserve team.

Anyway, am I being silly or wasn't it reported that at least some of the Navy Seals team that killed Bin Laden were killed in an RPG attack on a chinook?


The ones that dies were not part of the same team, they were however Navy SEALs

Pelloki on ghosts wrote:Just start masturbating furiously. That'll make them go away.

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Turboman
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Turboman » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:46 pm

Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

form a GR seal team? :shifty:

Errkal wrote:It is amasing how people dont seem to be abel to do that.
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Preezy
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Preezy » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:53 pm

Turboman wrote:
Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

form a GR seal team? :shifty:


Let's do this 8-)

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The People's ElboReformat
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by The People's ElboReformat » Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:04 pm

Preezy wrote:
Turboman wrote:
Preezy wrote:I wish I was part of Seal Team 6.

form a GR seal team? :shifty:


Let's do this 8-)

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IN


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Lagamorph
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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Lagamorph » Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:17 pm

DIBS

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PostRe: U.S. Navy Seals Rescue Captured Aid Worker in Somalia
by Turboman » Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:12 pm

8-)

Errkal wrote:It is amasing how people dont seem to be abel to do that.

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