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Al-Kataib Media / MAXPPP via EPA
This undated TV grab of footage by Al-Kataib Media shows Denis Allex, a French agent held by Somali militants.
Updated at 3:40 p.m. ET: PARIS/MOGADISHU - A French intelligence officer held hostage in Somalia since 2009 was killed along with at least one other soldier during a botched rescue attempt by French troops on Friday night, the French Defense Ministry said Saturday.
"Commandos broke into where Allex was being detained last night and immediately faced strong resistance," Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters.
Another commando is missing.
The deaths in Somalia coincided with the killing of a pilot in air strikes in Mali, however, striking a double blow to the start of a campaign that represents President Francois Hollande's biggest foreign policy test since his May election.
Adding confusion to the fallout of the agent's rescue effort, the Harakat al-Shabab al-Mujahideen insurgent group holding Denis Allex said in a statement that he was still alive and being held at a location far from the base where French military helicopters attacked overnight.
The insurgent group said that the injured French commando "is now in the custody of the mujahideen."
"Several French soldiers were killed in the battle and many more were injured before they fled from the scene of battle, leaving behind some military paraphernalia and even one of their comrades on the ground," they said in the statement.
French Army chief Admiral Edouard Guillaud did not confirm whether this was true: "If he is alive then he could be, but he could also be hiding," he told reporters.
Both sides described a fierce firefight during the raid on the Horn of Africa country that France said was carried out by France's external intelligence agency for which Allex worked.
A Somali official in Bula Mareer, about 75 miles south of Mogadishu, said French helicopters attacked overnight.
"Helicopters attacked al Shabaab at 2.00 a.m. this morning. Two civilians died in the crossfire," said Ahmed Omar Mohamed, deputy chairman for lower Shabelle region.
An al Shabaab official who asked not to be named said they exchanged fire with French commandos. "Three helicopters dropped French commandos. We exchanged fire," the official said.
'Inhumane conditions'
Allex was one of two officers from his intelligence agency kidnapped by al Shabaab in Mogadishu in July 2009. His colleague, Marc Aubriere, escaped a month later but Allex had been held ever since in what Paris called "inhumane conditions."
The ministry said he was kidnapped while carrying out an aid mission with the Somali government. France has previously said the two men were in the Somali capital to train local forces.
A video of Allex pleading with Hollande to negotiate his release and save his life appeared on a website in October used by Islamist militant groups around the world. Reuters could not verify its authenticity.
Hollande said at the time the government was seeking to start talks with any party able to facilitate Allex's release.
After his abduction, al Shabaab issued a series of demands, which included an end to French support for the Somali government and the withdrawal of African Union peacekeepers, whose 17,600-strong troops are helping battle the rebels.
Under pressure from the peacekeeping troops and Somali government forces, al Shabaab has lost many of its major urban strongholds in south-central Somalia since it launched a rebellion against the Western-backed government in 2007.
The rebels, who want to impose their strict interpretation of sharia, or Islamic law, across the Horn of Africa state, withdrew from the capital Mogadishu in August last year and lost their last major bastion of Kismayu six weeks ago.
Read more coverage of Somalia from NBC News
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
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How very tragic that this man has died, after waiting so long, hoping to win his freedom. My prayers go out to his family, those who tried so hard to help him come home. Given the harsh conditions mentioned before, in many ways, at least he is no longer suffering. May he finally rest in peace. I am sure the French are so disappointed, they have lost someone they cared about and risked much to save. Considering the work this man had done, it is a very sad ending.Condolences to those who were killed and I hope the other soldier missing will be okay.
Should have used the French Forigen Legon better troops!!!
Although a tragic ending, I'm glad there are other very brave countries fighting this scum of the earth.
Agreed. The only thing thugs understand is force. Perhaps the French should act more quickly next time one of their own is kidnapped. Bad guys will be emboldened if good men sit idle. May the heroes in this story rest in peace. And thank you for your sacrifice.
Ah...the French are known for their quick and decisive leadership...three and a half years must be the PC time for rescuing hostages...and then the mission fails and apparently they left a comrade at the scene...marvelous raid...
I am amazed of such a remark. Unfortunatly your were not there.
For French Special forces, alike US Delta Force you only ear about them when it fails -like us delta in Iran 1979, or Afghanistan nov. 2001.
"Theministry said on Saturday Allex was kidnapped when he was carrying out an official aid mission"
Right wink wink. Everyone send intel officer's for aid missions.
The French are making this fight for all of us so no more snide comments about the French, right?
Jay Leno, this means you!
Saddam Hussein got a great deal on French rifles:
"Rifles for sale. Like new. Never fired. Only dropped once."
I have no love for the French but me thinks you've never handled a rifle in your life!!! Prior service?? Shooting animals doesn't count as "knowing" sh!t about weapons!! By the way, the Frenchies might be doing more fighting out there than what they let the world know!!! Our troops can't make any move without the media being up their a-holes and reporting on it!
Next time you have a thought .... let it go. I qualified Expert with both the M14 and M16. Regarding prior service, I'll be happy to stack my fruit salad against your any day.
"Prior service??"
From your intolerance, I don't believe you've ever hard a hard day across the river from the farm.
"The French are making this fight for all of us..."
I never cared for 'Whiter Shade of Pale' so I guess that's a good enough reason to attack them.
The French should stick with what the know. They surrender very well.
You americans are funny, when the french refuse to fight an illegal war like iraq you bad mouth them, then when an african country ask for their help and they go help you bad mouth them.. Damn if they do, damn if they don't !
Dont lump us all together. Kudos to the brave French soldiers for trying to save a brother.
Not all americans think the same, don't generalize "you Amricans are funny" the negative comments of some fool Americans about France don't mean we all think the same.
The news media is getting its rocks off a lot of these comments are Funny. LOL
Again, in the quest of grammatical accuracy, drop the "S" from your screen name. Unless you suffer from multiple personality disorder, pluralizing a singular fool is improper.
You are an imbecile and easily fooled!!! WTF are the French doing in someone else's land?? Yeah, sure, the Africans asked the French to come help them!! Hahaha! You are a fool! France and many other Euro countries remain colonial powers in one way or another, you stupid!! Sad that you believe everything you read, you big dummy!!
It isn't what they do, it's what they are.
Zoomonkie. The French rescued most of the Americans evacuated from Lebanon in 2006 while the US was still coming up with a plan.
The French have caused a mess over there. How many oil workers need to be killed before the frogs turn tail and run?
A gay french flight attendant with a beverage cart did his part but I don't think it's fair to credit him with rescue.
For sure it is not in africa americans will go fight ! they are too afraid.
Unlike la France, we Americans have no former colonies in l'Afrique. Mali and Chad used to be "French Equatorial Africa"--an exercise is naked, 19th century imperialism.
I think America has adequately shown its courage in Iraq and Afghanistan where 3500 of us have died.
Does the name "Liberia" mean anything to you?
Don't be a fool every country fights were they have their own interest. You think France really want to help the Somalian people? You think the U.S. want to help the Afghan people? they just want to make sure those countries don't become a laboratory for terrorists scums. In some cases there is oil interest or other resources.
Oscar,
Do you drive a car? If so, you have "an oil interest."
Ah ah, allow me to laugh at that one!
denver, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. And it can make you look stupid.
On what date did Liberia attain its "independence"? There is no answer because it never was a colony but an independent state from its founding as a haven for ex-slaves who wished to go to Africa and create a new society.
The USA did not exploit Liberia in the classic imperialist pattern, or ever hope to earn a profit from creating it. It was an exercise in altruism and idealism.
I heartily agree.
Wrong. Freed slaves were sent to Liberia in the early 1820's, with the aid of the American Colonization Society. Liberia gained its independence on 26 July 1847.
True. But also irrelevant. The definition of "colony" is (1) "A group of people who leave their native country to form in a new land a settlement subject to, or connected with, the parent nation." (2) "Any people or territory separated from but subject to a ruling power." (3) "The country or district which is settled or colonized." So, while you may quibble with the definition of freed slaves as having the U.S. as their native country, you must admit that nothing in the definitions requires a colony to be necessarily formed in the imperialist or exploitative pattern.
The American Colonization Society having been a private venture, the US flag never flew over the territory that was to become the Republic of Liberia. Accordingly and unlike the former French Equatorial Africa it was never a colony of the United States in any sense, never attained its "freedom" from a former colonial power and has no call on American troops.
True, but still irrelevant. According to definition (1) above, there is no requirement that a colony be subject to a parent nation. Being "connected with" is sufficient condition. However, this is still the United States. You are entitled to your right to be wrong. However you twist and turn, the fact remains that Liberia was colonized beginning in the 1820's and achieved independence in 1847.
But I am not wrong. How could Liberia have achieved "independence" when there never was a dependent relationship?
There was no connection to the United States--a term referring to the federal government--but to a group of private individuals within the USA. Were there ever American soldiers in Liberia? Was there a colonial administration that reported to a home government in Washington?
Liberia was no more a US colony than Paraguay is a colony of Germany because some Mennonites have farming settlements there.
This is all in reply to a poster who claimed that we aren't sending soldiers to fight in Africa as France has done because we lack courage. The French have courage but their soldiers are in Africa because they have a colonial past there with commitments made to the first independent government.
We are probably arming the bad guys here too.
Knowing Obama, you may be right.
For those who don't know, there were a lot of reasons for the quick French surrender during WW II.
First, they had just seen how Poland just got their ass kicked.
Second, They knew Germany was getting ready to attack, and the French tanks were not built quick enough when they realized what Germany was up to.
Third, Germany was using new and very effective invasion tactics called Blitzkrieg which was insanely effective.
Forth, many French supported what Germany was doing in "race purification" (as wrong as it was).
Fifth, France did not want their architecture destroyed as much of it was ancient cathedrals and such.
Sixth, they knew they could not win, and did what they could in surrendering to save French lives, and not have happen what just happened in Poland. The Germans exterminated all who were fighting against them. Think of an armed robbery where 6 guys with machine guns and body armor burst into a crowded bank, and your kids are with you, and no one is armed. What would you do ?
I'm not saying it was the right, or wrong thing to do, but there were reasons. Having said that, my father was there on D-Day fighting for the United States and described what it was really like. It was much worse than what you see in the movies. Most of the bodies on the beach were half alive and reaching for body parts that were blown off, holding up their intestines looking at them, and lots of groaning and screaming. Our "heroes" had to run right over them to save themselves, and those who were afraid to get off the boats soon had the captains own gun pointed at them because he was not allowed to return with intact soldiers. My dad said there were no heroes that day, that you did what you had to, to survive.
People who have never been in Combat always say brave things, or is it stupid things, The wear the foot print of the great american chicken like they did during Vietnam!!
Stupid Paki, your comment makes no sense!! The g00ks were left w a country in shambles and hundreds of thousands dead and/or maimed!! Even w the help of The USSR and China still the kill ratio was totally one sided!! Besides, we did have nuclear weapons, the war could've been settled quickly, China would've not risked its neck over the Vietnamese! Didn't the Chinese try to invade as soon as US troops left??
Rocky Rhode,
Seven: 20 years prior they lost 1.5 million men by 1918 in the trenches, along with 3.5 millions maimed, and many French believed in the concept of Pacifism to a point of denial of imminent threats.
Eight: the Franks are a German tribe much closer to Berlin than to Rome.
Rocky, your father is a hero.
The French went from overconfidence to defeatism with shocking speed. The surrender was cleverly branded an "armistice" between honorable professional soldiers including the octogenarian Marshal Petain, an extreme political reactionary and something of an anglophobe..
Somalia seems a good place for a nuclear test!
A Obama and Biden are trying to get gun control,, Maybe Nuc control over some people, Give the military Stun guns and they can go to war with people with real weapons..
Or pave it over and put up a Walmart!
Please read the below petition, and if you agree sign it, thank you!
What petition?
What type of assault rifles do the french use?
Just a guess but, something in a .308 and tastefully colored black. Perhaps some of the commando types would also be using something in a 9mm sub-machine gun. They would undoubtedly be up against AK 47s and perhaps some large caliber machine guns.
So basically Rocky you are saying that if someone is out to get you and you are weak you should not fight?
Sounds like pacifism to me and the last time I checked my history books, the French weren't pacifist at that time in history.
Kudos to your father and all of the other brave soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy! However, I really don't think this thread calls for a historical review of WWII and why France fell to the Germans.
The French are in Somalia and Mali for their own interests of course. Just as most other countries would do the same to rescue a fellow countryman. And I agree with the others that shouldn't be bashing the French on a failed hostage rescue. Remember the US hostage rescue attempt in Iran? That didn't go so well either did it?
However Rocky, remember Viet Nam? My Father was there and described much of what your Father described. War is hell! Answer me this, why did France leave the conflict there once the US arrived to assist them. The US's involvement in Viet Nam at the beginning was in an advisory position. Then the French realized that the US was a far more superior force to deal with the conflict and left us to clean up their mess. So give me a list as to why the French refused to fight that war and don't tell me it was to save French lives. It was because, for once they started a fight, then realized they couldn't finish it.
Zapain--our venture in Southeast Asia didn't end so well, either, as I recall.
France fought a tough war there for nine years--exactly as long as we did. They withdrew for the same reasons we did: unsuccessful tactics in the field, dwindling public support at home, crippling cost.
John, check out this site.
Check out what site?
If the world don't get together and come up with a plan to handle these subhuman bastards than their going to continue taking ships and holding the crews hostage. These pirates have been getting away with it for far to long . By the use of radar and a constant look out for these water terrorist . NATO knows exactly where these low life bastards stay. The pirates will kill as they have shown and we don't go after them and we don't hear about all the killings done by those bastards. I think we should bomb the stuffing out of the whole coast line of Somalia than when enough is blown & burned that there is a clear sight where they have to go across wide open spaces to get to their water crafts than go a step farther and build a base approved by the elected government and Somalia and some of our friends we could include China & Russia cause the pirates take from all and do a rotation where one country has troops stay for a certain period of time than the next this would also help the Democratic government. We could have a beach head there if we asked. Than we need to help Somalia's government to fight Al-Shabab Vs Al-Qaeda and whatever other terrorist groups are there . Somalia would probably be a great place to visit if it were cleaned up and the visitors feel safe. We need to go to every part of the world that terrorist hide so they can cause trouble and kill them. As the world will see when they get done kissing the Taliban's ass if they do join in on the election and they win you will see people being killed for the little things like trying to kill a 14 year old who is trying to make a difference for womens education
Certain types of peoples consider kidnapping to be a business venture. We have fought it for years, recall the line "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli" Still it is permitted by their governments and their religion. Even encouraged. I think non-stop armed drone flights over the area would be least expensive and quite effective.
It is about time that the French military showed some balls, they should have done this years ago. France is the country where the Arab terrorists go to hide, now France is paying the price for protecting these animals. There is only one way to solve the problems in Somalia, is to nuke it and get it off the planet. There people there do not know how to live in a civilized society, so get rid of them.
The US has a rather large population of immigrant Somalis, Given US residency with few questions asked, on humanitarian reasons. Many are freezing their butts in Minnesota.
Woody
What should I do about the Somalis freezing their asses off, plus the other Us citizens who live in Minnesota and freeze their asses off. If you read the article this about the so called country of Samalia which has not law or order, nothing about people freezing their asses off. Did they teach you in school to stay on topic and not to go off on a tangent.
I'm pretty sure you misunderstood my meaning.....but some of those Minnesota Somalis are plotting... and I don't mean a birthday party!
Woody
Now I agree with you and we should watch all of the followers of the religion of peace, in Minnesota, California and all places east, west, north and south. I believe these people want to take over the world and change our way of life.
Finally! Instead of shaking their hands and offering a cheese platter, the French used some force.
Somalia is one of the next major obstacles in the war on terrorism and we cannot allow the Somalia to suffer the same fate as Afghanistan after the Taliban took control. I congratulate the French on their intelligence efforts in the area and their foresight regarding the seriousness of a Somalia run by militant extremists. That part of the Middle East and North Africa is experiencing a influx of radicals due to the dismantling of previous safe havens, and its proximity to new and old benefactors in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. With the help of extremist elements in Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan, there is a black market lifeline made up of money launderers, human traffickers, and arms dealers that help sustain more powerful groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. We knew this attempt to rescue their intelligence officer would come, but unfortunately, so did Al-Shabaab. My heart goes out to the families of the officer and the soldier now in captivity, and Godspeed to our French comrades who are putting themselves in harms way for the sake of all who value justice, freedom, and pluralism. The French have not asked for our help, but if they do, I hope that we will not hesitate to do what is necessary to neutralize Al-Shabaab and its allies.
France needs to start deportation of the Arab/muslim population if it really wants to make an impact on terrorism! That country is full of displaced Taliban!! Pakis and all should be thrown the eff out of Europe, period!!!
Somalia is one of the next major obstacles in the war on terrorism and we cannot allow the Somalia to suffer the same fate as Afghanistan after the Taliban took control. I congratulate the French on their intelligence efforts in the area and their foresight regarding the seriousness of a Somalia run by militant extremists. That part of the Middle East and North Africa is experiencing a influx of radicals due to the dismantling of previous safe havens, and its proximity to new and old benefactors in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. With the help of extremist elements in Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan, there is a black market lifeline made up of money launderers, human traffickers, and arms dealers that help sustain more powerful groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. We knew this attempt to rescue their intelligence officer would come, but unfortunately, so did Al-Shabaab. My heart goes out to the families of the officer and the soldier now in captivity, and Godspeed to our French comrades who are putting themselves in harms way for the sake of all who value justice, freedom, and pluralism. The French have not asked for our help, but if they do, I hope that we will not hesitate to do what is necessary to neutralize Al-Shabaab and its allies.
Should have tasked it out to SOF-D, or SEAL 6. It would have ended much more clean. Leave it up to the frogs to jack it up. GIGN and all French spec ops under COS are, by operator standards, a joke!
I think you might be the joke.
Yeah, well so is your mother for giving birth to you. Are you a " Frog "? If so, I don't believe in abortion, but you are a prime candidate of a person who should have been aborted. If your not a " Frog ", the same thing applies, you still should have been aborted.
Congratulations to the French. You have sent the appropriate message. Prayers to the families of your casualties. Just because you are a warlord in a third world dungheap does not mean we (Americans ans Europeans, excluding the Swiss, ) won't come find you.