US Serviceman Killed During Hostage Rescue In Afghanistan

A US serviceman was killed during Sunday’s hostage rescue mission in Afghanistan, which freed an American doctor who was kidnapped by the Taliban last Wednesday.

The White House announced the serviceman’s death on Sunday afternoon, reports The Huffington Post. The White House released a statement about the rescue mission, saying:

“Our special operators in Afghanistan rescued an American citizen in a mission that was characteristic of the extraordinary courage, skill and patriotism that our troops show every day.”

They added of the serviceman’s death, “Tragically, we lost one of our special operators in this effort. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, just as we must always honor our troops and military families.”

The rescue mission was successfully able to release Dr. Dilip Joseph, a US citizen, from his captivity by the Afghan Taliban. He was kidnapped last Wednesday in the Sarobi district of Kabul province, according to NATO-led forces.

The Daily Telegraph notes that it was not known how the US serviceman was killed, or if anyone else was injured during the mission. US General John Allen, who commands the NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, stated that the rescue mission was put together when it became clear that the US doctor was “in imminent danger of injury or death.”

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement released by the Pentagon on Sunday:

“The special operators who conducted this raid knew they were putting their lives on the line to free a fellow American from the enemy’s grip. They put the safety of another American ahead of their own, as so many of our brave warriors do every day and every night.”

The name of the US serviceman killed during the hostage rescue in Afghanistan has not been released.