American Commando Killed in Yemen in Trump's First Counterterror Operation

[DonViejo]

Source: New York Times

American Commando Killed in Yemen in Trumps First Counterterror Operation


By ERIC SCHMITTJAN. 29, 2017

WASHINGTON One American commando was killed and three others injured in a fierce firefight overnight with Qaeda militants in central Yemen, a senior American official said Sunday morning. The raid was the first counterterrorism operation approved by President Trump since he took office nine days ago.

Commandos flying in Osprey aircraft carried out the surprise dawn attack in Bayda Province in a ground raid that lasted just under an hour. The target was a building or series of buildings that contained information that counterterrorism officials had deemed valuable enough to warrant a ground operation rather than an airstrike, the American official said.

Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of the Pentagons Central Command, said in a statement: We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our elite service members. The sacrifices are very profound in our fight against terrorists who threaten innocent peoples across the globe.

A military aircraft assisting in the operation crash-landed nearby, leaving a fourth commando injured, the statement said. That aircraft, identified by a senior American official as an Osprey, was unable to fly after the landing and was destroyed by American airstrikes.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/world/middleeast/american-commando-killed-in-yemen-in-trumps-first-counterterror-operation.html?emc=edit_na_20170129&nl=breaking-news&nlid=57435284&ref=headline&_r=0

[Achilleaze]

1. "The credit (and blame) belongs to me." - Comrade Casino (Republican Draft-&-Tax-Dodger-in-Chief)

Comrade Casino wants to claim credit for everything. So these deaths absolutely belong on his freaking 'scorecard"

[riversedge]

2. looks like it was a real mess.....

Seems lucky to only have one military person die.



...........A military aircraft assisting in the operation crash-landed nearby, leaving a fourth commando injured, the statement said. That aircraft, identified by a senior American official as an Osprey, was unable to fly after the landing and was destroyed by American airstrikes.

Link to tweet

[lastlib]

11. The first of many to die.....

By 2020, we will be hunting tRumpers with dogs--with no bag limit.

[Renew Deal]

3. Hopefully they got what they were looking for

"An estimated 14 Qaeda fighters were killed in the raid, which led to “the capture of information that will likely provide insight into the planning of future terror plots,” the statement said."

[Else You Are Mad]

4. I bet Trump...

If he discusses this at all, blames it on Obama since he can do no wrong, then uses it as proof we need the Muslim ban.

[IronLionZion]

5. I'm surprised Dipshit is still doing commando ground operations

he campaigned that Obama was not killing enough civilians through heavy aerial bombing because he's so soft and weak.

Dude constantly promised to kill women and children as soon as he takes office.

[heaven05]

6. the boy potus

has his 'toy' soldiers to play with now....1 week 1 killed, 4 years and .....how many here and abroad killed??? We are in BIG trouble with the boy-potus who would be king....

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. NYT: US official denies women & children among dead; Reuters: 13 w&c dead, from medics

Helicopter-borne commandoes launched a raid in southern Yemen at dawn on Sunday that killed around 30 people including al Qaeda suspects and civilians, residents and local officials told Reuters.

Residents and officials as well as al Qaeda itself said the attack was carried out by the United States, which did not immediately acknowledge the operation.

The gunbattle in the rural Yakla district of al-Bayda province killed a senior leader in Yemen's al Qaeda branch, Abdulraoof al-Dhahab, along with other militants, the local witnesses said.

Medics at the scene said 30 people were killed, including 10 women and three children.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-yemen-qaeda-idUSKBN15D08J

[Solly Mack]

8. Well, Trump hates the troops who get captured or killed. Losers. Sad.

Such would be in keeping with things he has said.

[Coventina]

9. Only the first of thousands, I fear.

RIP

[Wounded Bear]

10. Sad news, of course...

but not sure Trump had much to do with this other than rubber stamping the operation as a go.

This kind of operation requires planning, generally weeks of planning at least you would think. It would have been planned and pushed by military leaders already in place.