(SOUNDBITE) (English) MAN IDENTIFYING HIMSELF AS JOURNALIST LUKE SOMERS, SAYING:<br/> <br />"My name is Luke Somers. I'm 33 years old..."<br/> <br />U.S. journalist Luke Somers has been killed by al Qaeda militants in Yemen during a rescue attempt, senior officials said on Saturday.<br/> <br />Yemen's Defense Ministry had said earlier that a military operation SUCCEEDED in freeing a U.S. hostage and killing 10 members of the al Qaeda group that was holding him.<br/> <br />Officials say the rescue operation took place in southern Yemen and that it involved an air strike followed by a raid by U.S. and Yemeni forces.<br/> <br />Somers was kidnapped in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in September of 2013.<br/> <br />He made a plea for his release in this video that was posted online last Wednesday.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MAN IDENTIFYING HIMSELF AS JOURNALIST LUKE SOMERS, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Basically, I'm looking for any help that can get me out of this situation. I'm certain that my life is in danger."<br/> <br />Al Qaeda in the A
