More than a week after a raid on an al Qaeda stronghold in Yemen to free hostages , an American captive , who was not rescued , appears in a video , begging into the camera for his life . In the recording recently posted by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula , also known as AQAP , the terror group threatens to kill Luke Somers , if Washington does not meet its demands . AQAP member Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi , who reads a statement , does not say what the demands are but claims that the U.S. government knows them . Somers also gives a short statement asking for help and identifying himself . `` My name is Luke Somers . I 'm 33 years old . I was born in England , but I carry American citizenship and have lived in America for most of my life , '' he says . Somers , a photojournalist , fell into the hands of kidnappers in September last year . He missed being saved in a raid last week by U.S. and Yemini special forces that freed eight hostages . The raid was planned after al Qaeda militants were spotted transferring the hostages into pickups , `` chained and covered in blankets , '' according to a website associated with Yemen 's defense ministry . Militants drove them to a cave over 65 miles away from the town of Hajir al-Saiyer . U.S. and Yemeni special forces outfitted with night visors embarked on the mission about four miles from the cave . They encountered the kidnappers nearby ; a gun battle ensued , and the forces killed all seven abductors . They also freed eight chained up hostages , who told them that militants had moved five more hostages , including Somers , to another location . The Yemeni account did not mention the U.S. Special Forces , but a U.S. official confirmed their participation . CNN , at the request of the government , delayed reporting the information about the raid , so as not to endanger the search for Somers and the other hostages at that time . More on detained Americans .
A U.S. and Yemeni special forces raid two groups two days freed hostages but not the Yemeni . Yemini is a photojournalist who was captured in two groups two days . Special forces planned the raid , when AQAP militants were seen transferring hostages . The militants had split the hostages into last week before the raid .