The raid Tuesday was conducted by a joint team overseen by Africa Command and involved Navy SEAL Team Six, the same unit -- though not the exact same individuals -- that killed bin Laden in May, a senior U.S. military source told Fox News.
President Obama authorized the operation at 9 p.m. Monday. By the time he was about to begin his State of the Union address 24 hours later, the mission was complete. The two hostages, an American and a Dane, were free and nine kidnappers were dead.
American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Dane Poul Hagan Thisted, 60, had been working with a de-mining unit of the Danish Refugee Council when they were kidnapped in October.
Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters on Wednesday that the major reason for conducting the operation was due to Buchanan's deteriorating health. U.S. officials tell Fox News they worried that a previous infection was leading to possible kidney failure, a potentially life-threatening, pre-existing medical condition.
Obama authorized the operation after being briefed in the White House residence by his national security adviser. Military commanders finalized the raid on Tuesday. More than 50 U.S. troops were involved.
Officials with knowledge of the mission told Fox News that on the moonless night a rescue team dropped into the area from parachutes off fixed-wing aircraft. From their drop point they hiked to the encampment in a wide open, shrubby area. The hostage takers were not inside any compound, rather they were all out in the open -- many of them sleeping.
So, thanks to the SEAL team 6 for killing 9 thugs and rescuing the 2 victims and thanks to President Obama for authorizing the rescue. Hopefully, this will deter some kidnappings of American citizens in Somalia. But really, why would any American want to be in Somalia right now and risk their life and the lives of the rescuers if they are kidnapped?
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