US service member killed in raid on al Qaeda headquarters in Yemen

The U.S. military said on Sunday that one U.S. service member died from wounds suffered in a raid against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) headquarters in Yemen.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our elite servicemembers,” Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement. “The sacrifices are very profound in our fight against terrorists who threaten innocent peoples across the globe.”

The name of the service member is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

{mosads}Three other U.S. service members were wounded in Saturday’s raid.

Officials said another U.S. service member was injured when a military aircraft assisting in the operation experienced a hard landing nearby. That aircraft was intentionally destroyed, they added.

The Associated Press reported that three senior AQAP leaders were killed, citing security and tribal officials.

An AQAP official described the attack as a “massacre,” according to the news service. That official said that women and children were killed but provided no evidence.

The official said Apache attack helicopters struck the area near Yakla village in the Radaa district, the AP reported, before commandoes were dropped in for the raid.

The U.S. military said 14 AQAP members were killed in the raid, adding that information captured will likely “provide insight into the planning of future terror plots.”

“This is one in a series of aggressive moves against terrorist planners in Yemen and worldwide. Similar operations have produced intelligence on al-Qa’ida logistics, recruiting and financial efforts.”

–This report was updated at 8:30 a.m.