Special ops rescues American, killing 9 pirates

NY Post:

US Special Forces troops flew into Somalia on a nighttime helicopter raid early Wednesday, freed an American and a Danish hostage and killed nine of the kidnappers in a mission that President Obama said he personally authorized. 

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

The raiders came in very quickly, catching the guards as they were sleeping after having chewed the narcotic leaf qat 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 missing. 

A second pirate who gave his name as Ahmed Hashi said two helicopters attacked at about 2 a.m. about 12 miles north of the Somali town of Adado where the hostages were being held. 

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

The US military's Africa Command, based in Stuttgart, Germany, confirmed that nine kidnappers were killed. 

"Last night's mission, boldly conducted by some of our nation's most courageous, competent, and committed special operations forces, exemplifies United States Africa Command's mission to protect Americans and American interests in Africa," said Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of US Africa Command.

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The US has a base in Djibouti just north of Somalia and that may have been where the raiders came from.  They also could have come from ships in the nearby waters, which would suggest they were Navy SEALs.  It appears to have been a very effective raid.  Props to the special ops forces for their good work.

Fox News reports that Navy SEAL Team Six was part of the force used in the rescue.