In a statement, the White House has expressed regret for the deaths of two hostages killed during a January counterterrorism strike. Also, in a separate operation, the White House announced that two American members of al Qaeda, Adam Gadahn and Ahmed Farouq, have been killed:
Statement by the @PressSec on Dr. Warren Weinstein and Giovanni Lo Porto: http://t.co/w0COl0TF29 pic.twitter.com/aBLUm0lKE5
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) April 23, 2015
https://twitter.com/TheBlazeNOW/status/591234183298678784
https://twitter.com/TheBlazeNOW/status/591234827376005120
White House: President Obama directed the information, classified until now, be shared today with the American people.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
White House: President Obama "takes full responsibility for these operations." #Afghanistan #Pakistan
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
White House: Operation that resulted in deaths of two innocent hostages "uniquely tragic."
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
White House:Operation lawful, consistent with counterterrorism policies, conducting thorough independent review to understand what happened.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
.@nytimes: Drone strike killed the American and Italian hostages.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
.@WSJ: First known instance in which US has accidentally killed a hostage in a drone strike.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Earlier, Obama spoke about the hostages who were killed:
https://twitter.com/TheBlazeNOW/status/591243601688055809
https://twitter.com/TheBlazeNOW/status/591244193034567680
Pres Obama speaking live expresses “grief and condolences” for hostages tragically killed in US counterterror operation.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Obama: “As a husband and a father I cannot begin to understand the anguish…"
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Obama: “We believed this was an al Qaeda, no civilians were present…"
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Obama: “It is a cruel and bitter truth” in fog of war…sometimes “deadly mistakes can occur.”
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Obama: We will have to be willing confront squarely our mistakes.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Obama: “We will do our utmost to make sure it is not repeatable."
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015
Obama: American accidentally killed was a “@USAID contractor” in #Pakistan when he was kidnapped by al Qaeda.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 23, 2015