U.S. Special Forces Rescued American Hostage in Nigeria

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

米軍特殊部隊、ナイジェリアで米国人の人質を救出

2020.11.01 Sun posted at 15:17 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 米国防総省は１０月３１日、米軍特殊部隊がナイジェリア北部で武装集団に拉致されていた米国人の人質救出作戦を同日未明に実施し、成功させたと発表した。

拉致は隣国ニジェールで先週起き、米国人はその後、ナイジェリア北部へ移されていた。ニジェールなどの地元メディアはこの米国人は男性の宣教師と伝えていた。

地元メディアなどは拉致が発生した地域の知事の発言を引用し、ＡＫ４７型自動小銃で武装した実行犯は６人で、オートバイに乗りナイジェリア国境近くの村落にある米国人の居住先に出現したと報道。金銭を要求した後、米国人をナイジェリア方面へ連れ去ったという。

米国防総省のホフマン報道官は声明で、助け出された米国人は米国務省の保護下にあるとした。作戦に加わった米軍兵士に負傷者はいなかったとも述べた。

今回の作戦の経緯に通じる米政府当局者はＣＮＮの取材に、人質の奪還は米海軍特殊部隊ＳＥＡＬのチーム６が実行し、任務は数時間続いたと説明。拉致の実行犯７人のうち６人を殺害したという。

周辺地域で活動するいかなるテロ組織ともつながりがないとみられるとし、身代金目的の犯行の可能性があるとした。

Translation

(CNN) On October 31st, the Pentagon announced that on the same day a US special force had successfully carried out a hostage rescue operation for an American who had been abducted by armed groups in northern Nigeria.

The abduction took place last week in neighboring Niger, and the American was subsequently transferred to northern Nigeria. Local media such as Niger etc. reported that the American was a male missionary.

Local media and others, quoting the governor of the area where the abduction occurred, said that six perpetrators on motorcycles and armed with AK47 automatic rifles appeared in the American residence in a village near the Nigerian border. After demanding money, it was said that they took the American to Nigeria.

Hoffman the spokesman for the Pentagon said in a statement that the rescued American was now under the protection of the US State Department. He also said that no U.S. soldiers who participated in the operation were injured.

A U.S. government official familiar with the process of the operation explained to CNN that the recapture of the hostages was carried out by Team 6 of the U.S. Navy Seal and the mission lasted for several hours. It was said that 6 out of 7 abductees were killed.

It seemed that there was no connection with any terrorist organization operating in the surrounding area, and it could have been committed for ransom.

              So, it can be seen as a case of extraterritorial law enforcing. The presence of the American soldiers is global, for better or worse depending on one’s perspective.