CNN: on October 31, local time, US Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman stated in a statement that US special forces conducted a hostage rescue operation in northern Nigeria early in the morning.
Successfully rescued a US citizen who was taken hostage by militants. No US military personnel were injured in the operation.
U.S. special operations personnel parachuting at night
Officials familiar with the matter said that the mission lasted several hours and was executed by the 6th Division of the U.S. Navy’s elite SEALs (hereinafter referred to as “Seals 6”).
They arrived in the mission area by planes of the US Air Force Special Operations Command. Killed 6 of the 7 kidnappers. The US believes that these kidnappers have no affiliation with any terrorist organization in the region, and the hostage-taking is more likely to be for money.
With further media reports, the details of the hostage rescue operation are gradually becoming clear.
Based on the reports of theaviationist website and the US “Drive” website, the reason why the SEAL Team 6 was able to accurately find the location of the
hostage held in custody and successfully rescued them was due to the mobile phone surveillance activities of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
The information collected, as well as the information provided by the special forces of the US Marine Corps deployed in Northwest Africa, but there are no more reports on the details.
According to theaviationist, the operation of the “Sea Leopards 6” began when the special forces members entered the area by parachuting. This method of entering the operation area is usually only used when other concealment methods cannot be used immediately.
In addition, if the commando performing the mission must start from a place far away from the mission area and enter the mission area by carrying an aircraft, this method will also be used. About 30 special forces personnel participated in the raid.
After entering the mission area by parachute
they walked about 5 kilometers to reach the target area for rescue.
After a “brief and fierce exchange of fire” with the kidnappers, the “Seal Team 6” successfully rescued the hostages and evacuated to a predetermined location on foot.
Then the hostages and special forces were taken away by helicopter and transported to a safe place.
The theaviationist website stated that part of the military’s air activities related to this raid and rescue operation can be tracked online through ADS-B/Mode-S signals.
The signal showed that 4 MC-130J
special operations aircraft and 2 CV-22 rotorcrafts under the
United States Air Force’s Special Operations Command, which were deployed from the Royal Air Force
Mildenhall Base to Spain’s Rota Base in advance, participated in the event.
The rescue operation was supported by 6 KC-135 tankers taking off from Mildenhall Base.
AC-130J “Air Gunboat”
According to a report from the US “Drive” website, the operation also included ultra-long-distance maneuvers through multiple
C-17 transport aircraft, and the AC-130J attack aircraft, known as the “air gunboat”
US Air Force, also provided support for this operation.
Supported. The “Drive” website also pointed out that, with the exception of the
“Seal Team 6”, information on the exact composition of the assault force is very limited.
U.S. President Trump stated that the successful hostage rescue mission was carried out under his guidance.
He expressed his gratitude to the US special forces that successfully rescued the
hostages and said that he would share information about this mission in a short time. detail.
Trump also revealed that since he took office, the United States has rescued more
than 55 hostages and detainees in more than 24 countries and regions.
