http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view...ve-British-aid-worker-held-hostage-by-Taliban
Helen Johnston had been held hostage for 12 days
A YOUNG British woman captured by Taliban-supporting guerrillas in Afghanistan was freed by the SAS yesterday as David Cameron warned other kidnappers they would meet a swift and brutal end.
Helen Johnston, 27, and three other aid workers, who were taken hostage on May 22 while trying to help flood victims, were uninjured but seven kidnappers were shot dead.
Delivering a tough message to terrorists across the world, Mr Cameron said: “They should know that if they take British citizens hostage we do not pay ransoms, we do not trade prisoners. They can expect a swift and brutal end.” Last night Miss Johnston, of Stoke Newington, north-east London, was recovering at the British embassy in Kabul with Kenyan woman Moragwe Oirere. Two Afghan civilians also rescued were travelling to their homes for family celebrations.
Yesterday’s successful SAS operation was sanctioned by The Director, a codename for the brigadier general responsible for British special forces attacks. He is based in Regent’s Park, London. To avoid the sound of helicopters giving away their approach, more than 140 troops, commanded by an SAS major, made their way across hostile country at night after being dropped by German helicopters 13 miles away. Each of the four teams contained US elements but it was not thought that Afghan forces took part.
As they advanced across the mountainous Badakhshan province, a US Air Force C-130 spy plane flew overhead, ready to intercept any communications from the kidnappers.
After hiding and surveying the remote cave for five hours, one team launched a diversionary attack to draw the kidnappers out while another rescued Medaid worker Miss Johnston and her three terrified companions. Each of the seven kidnappers, armed with assault rifles and grenade launchers, was killed by SAS forces using silenced 9mm machine pistols and stun grenades.
As soon as the assault started RAF Chinook helicopters from 7 Special Forces Squadron flew in to take the hostages back to Bagram airbase, where they were given a medical check-up. It was all over in 30 minutes.
Former SAS soldier Rob Stirling, author of SAS Ultimate Guide To Combat, said: “It’s clear that planners were desperate not to repeat mistakes that happened in March when British hostage Chris McManus was killed in Nigeria when the kidnappers were alerted. That’s why the helicopter drop was so far away.”
In October 2010 aid worker Linda Norgrove died during a mission to rescue her from hostage takers in Afghanistan.
Ms Norgrove, 36, was killed by a grenade thrown by a US soldier, although Wiltshire coroner David Ridley did not blame him or his comrades for the mistake.
Coalition forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings said yesterday: “The kidnappers were armed with heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s.
“They were an armed terrorist group with ties to the Taliban.”
A statement from Miss Johnston’s parents Philip and Patricia and brother Peter said they were deeply grateful to her rescuers and to the media for agreeing a news blackout. “We are delighted and hugely relieved by the wonderful news that Helen and all her colleagues have been freed,” they said. “We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in her rescue, to those who worked tirelessly on her behalf, and to family and friends for their love, prayers and support over the past 12 days. We greatly appreciate the restraint shown by the media.”
Mr Cameron revealed he authorised the rescue attempt on Friday afternoon as concerns grew about the hostages’ safety.
“It was an extraordinarily brave, breathtaking even, operation that our troops had to carry out,” he said. “I pay tribute to their skill and dedication.”
Mr Cameron said decisions on rescue attempts were “extraordinarily difficult”.
He added: “Above all, on this weekend of all weekends, we should say an enormous thank you to the incredibly brave forces that took part in this operation.
“We will never be able to publish their names but the whole country should know we have an extraordinary group of people who work for us who do amazingly brave things.”
Do you have a story about the Armed Forces? Email defence@express.co.uk with a brief outline and we will get in touch. And don’t worry, we won’t reveal your name unless you want us to.
Helen Johnston had been held hostage for 12 days
A YOUNG British woman captured by Taliban-supporting guerrillas in Afghanistan was freed by the SAS yesterday as David Cameron warned other kidnappers they would meet a swift and brutal end.
Helen Johnston, 27, and three other aid workers, who were taken hostage on May 22 while trying to help flood victims, were uninjured but seven kidnappers were shot dead.
Delivering a tough message to terrorists across the world, Mr Cameron said: “They should know that if they take British citizens hostage we do not pay ransoms, we do not trade prisoners. They can expect a swift and brutal end.” Last night Miss Johnston, of Stoke Newington, north-east London, was recovering at the British embassy in Kabul with Kenyan woman Moragwe Oirere. Two Afghan civilians also rescued were travelling to their homes for family celebrations.
Yesterday’s successful SAS operation was sanctioned by The Director, a codename for the brigadier general responsible for British special forces attacks. He is based in Regent’s Park, London. To avoid the sound of helicopters giving away their approach, more than 140 troops, commanded by an SAS major, made their way across hostile country at night after being dropped by German helicopters 13 miles away. Each of the four teams contained US elements but it was not thought that Afghan forces took part.
As they advanced across the mountainous Badakhshan province, a US Air Force C-130 spy plane flew overhead, ready to intercept any communications from the kidnappers.
After hiding and surveying the remote cave for five hours, one team launched a diversionary attack to draw the kidnappers out while another rescued Medaid worker Miss Johnston and her three terrified companions. Each of the seven kidnappers, armed with assault rifles and grenade launchers, was killed by SAS forces using silenced 9mm machine pistols and stun grenades.
As soon as the assault started RAF Chinook helicopters from 7 Special Forces Squadron flew in to take the hostages back to Bagram airbase, where they were given a medical check-up. It was all over in 30 minutes.
Former SAS soldier Rob Stirling, author of SAS Ultimate Guide To Combat, said: “It’s clear that planners were desperate not to repeat mistakes that happened in March when British hostage Chris McManus was killed in Nigeria when the kidnappers were alerted. That’s why the helicopter drop was so far away.”
In October 2010 aid worker Linda Norgrove died during a mission to rescue her from hostage takers in Afghanistan.
Ms Norgrove, 36, was killed by a grenade thrown by a US soldier, although Wiltshire coroner David Ridley did not blame him or his comrades for the mistake.
Coalition forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings said yesterday: “The kidnappers were armed with heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s.
“They were an armed terrorist group with ties to the Taliban.”
A statement from Miss Johnston’s parents Philip and Patricia and brother Peter said they were deeply grateful to her rescuers and to the media for agreeing a news blackout. “We are delighted and hugely relieved by the wonderful news that Helen and all her colleagues have been freed,” they said. “We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in her rescue, to those who worked tirelessly on her behalf, and to family and friends for their love, prayers and support over the past 12 days. We greatly appreciate the restraint shown by the media.”
Mr Cameron revealed he authorised the rescue attempt on Friday afternoon as concerns grew about the hostages’ safety.
“It was an extraordinarily brave, breathtaking even, operation that our troops had to carry out,” he said. “I pay tribute to their skill and dedication.”
Mr Cameron said decisions on rescue attempts were “extraordinarily difficult”.
He added: “Above all, on this weekend of all weekends, we should say an enormous thank you to the incredibly brave forces that took part in this operation.
“We will never be able to publish their names but the whole country should know we have an extraordinary group of people who work for us who do amazingly brave things.”
Do you have a story about the Armed Forces? Email defence@express.co.uk with a brief outline and we will get in touch. And don’t worry, we won’t reveal your name unless you want us to.