Luke Somers facts for kids

Luke Daniel Somers (born August 29, 1981 – died December 6, 2014) was a brave photojournalist. He was born in Britain but was also an American citizen. Luke was held hostage by a group called al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen.

His friends described him as a kind person. They said he truly loved the people and country of Yemen. Luke wanted to help Yemen's future. He stayed there to do good things for the people.

Early Life and School

Luke Somers was born in London, England. He grew up in places like Sacramento, California and Renton, Washington, in the United States.

In 2008, he finished college at Beloit College in Wisconsin. He earned a degree in creative writing. After college, he traveled to Egypt. Later, he decided to live in Yemen.

Luke's Photography Work

Luke Somers worked as a freelance journalist. This means he worked for different news groups. His photos were shown by big news companies like the BBC and Al Jazeera. He also took pictures for the Yemen Times newspaper.

His amazing work was shown at a special festival. It was the Yemeni Film & Arts Festival in New York in 2016. His photos were also part of an art show. This show was at New York University's Kevorkian Center.

Luke's pictures were also displayed in Washington, D.C. You can still find some of his work online.

Being Taken Hostage

Luke Somers was kidnapped in September 2013. This happened in Sana'a, which is the capital city of Yemen. The group that took him was Al Qaeda.

In December 2014, Luke appeared in a video. This video was made by AQAP. In the video, an AQAP official spoke to the United States government. He said the U.S. had three days to meet their demands. If not, Luke would face his "inevitable fate." The video did not say what AQAP wanted.

After this video, Luke's mother and brother made their own video. They asked AQAP to "show mercy." They begged for Luke to be set free. They explained that Luke was only trying to help the people of Yemen.

Many news groups, friends, and family worked hard to save Luke. A newspaper in Yemen, The National, asked for his life to be saved. The Committee to Protect Journalists also helped. Luke's friends started petitions and online groups. They wanted to get support for his safe return.

First Rescue Try

The United States government tried to rescue Luke Somers. President of the United States Barack Obama gave permission for a secret mission. This happened in November 2014. However, the mission was not successful.

On December 4, 2014, the Pentagon shared details about this mission. It was an attack on a cave in a faraway area. The mission helped free six people from Yemen, one from Ethiopia, and one from Saudi Arabia. But Luke and other Western hostages were not found.

It is believed that Luke had been moved. He was likely taken from the hostage site before the special forces arrived.

Luke's Death

On December 4, 2014, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) made a threat. They said they would kill Luke Somers in three days. This would happen if the U.S. government did not meet their demands.

On December 6, 2014, U.S. special forces tried another rescue. About 40 soldiers were involved. They tried to save Luke Somers and Pierre Korkie. Pierre was a teacher from South Africa. He was also held by al-Qaeda in Yemen.

The rescuers were close to the building where Luke and Pierre were kept. But the militants saw them. A fight started. When the American soldiers finally entered the building, both men were found. They were alive but badly hurt.

The U.S. forces quickly put Luke and Pierre onto special aircraft called V-22 Ospreys. Medical teams started helping them right away. Sadly, Pierre Korkie died during the flight. Luke Somers died after the aircraft landed on the USS Makin Island.

President Barack Obama said that information showed Luke's life was in great danger. He said he approved the rescue attempt as soon as there was good information. President Obama called Luke's death a "barbaric murder." He said that AQAP's actions showed how evil they were. He added that the world must work to defeat their harmful ideas.

See also

• List of journalists killed in Yemen
• List of solved missing person cases