The US commandos intervene. The hostages of the Danish NGO DDG are free
(BRUSSELS2) The Dane Poul Hagen Thisted and the American Jessica Buchanan are free. American special operations commandos freed Somali pirates who were holding two members of the Danish NGO Danish Demining Group (member of the Danish Refugee Council) prisoner during a raid carried out overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. Under cover of darkness, the six helicopters from Djibouti landed near the Somali pirates' camp located not far from the town of Galkayo.
9 pirates killed
The men of Navy Seal 6 did not hesitate. During the exchange of fire, 9 of the pirates were killed while 5 others were captured. No injuries were reported on the American side. “ The hostages are well and have been brought to safety » insisted the US defense. The hostages were captured last October near Galkayo, in the hope of getting a good price for them. It didn't bring them luck. The Americans gave them no choice. The news of the release was officially commented on in Washington this morning by President Obama: “ The United States will not tolerate the taking of our populations hostage, and will spare no effort to ensure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice. This is our message too: the United States will stand firm against all threats to our people. »
"Well done"
The day before, while delivering his State of the Union speech to Congress, a key moment in the political life of a president, especially during the electoral campaign, Obama shook the hand of Panetta, his Minister of Defense , telling him “good job”; mysterious message which had only been understood by the person concerned; no one knowing then what he was talking about. “ This successful hostage release, accomplished in a hostile environment, is proof of the superb skill of our service members who risked their lives to save the lives of others “recalled for his part the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta.
Comment: this intervention is intended to put a stop to the evolution of the tactics of pirates who, failing to find at sea enough to fuel their “business”, turn to the kidnapping of Westerners on land or the purchase of people already captured in Somalia or neighboring regions (mainly Kenya). They are still holding a British woman and two Spanish women “purchased” from Al Shabaab to renegotiate them. While a French hostage – DGSE agent – is still in the hands of Al Shabab.
Read also: Hackers 'buy' 2 MSF hostages from Al-Shabaab
