U.S. service member killed in first Trump terror raid

Jim Michaels | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Clashes on Yemen west coast kill more than 100 Fierce battles between Yemeni government forces and Shiite rebels on the country's strategic west coast have killed more than 100 fighters in the past 24 hours, officials said on Sunday. Video provided by AFP

One U.S. service member was killed and three others wounded in a raid against al-Qaeda militants in Yemen, the first such operation ordered by President Trump.

The raid resulted in the deaths of 14 militants and the capture of critical intelligence, the U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said Sunday in a statement.

A U.S. military aircraft involved in Saturday's raid experienced a “hard landing” and had to be destroyed to avoid having it fall into enemy hands. The incident resulted in additional injuries, according to Central Command.

“This is one in a series of aggressive moves against terrorist planners in Yemen and worldwide,” the statement said. “Similar operations have produced intelligence on Al-Qaeda logistics, recruiting and financing efforts.”

President Trump said in a statement that the raid against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula headquarters captured "important intelligence that will assist the U.S. in preventing terrorism against its citizens and people around the world."

Americans are saddened this morning with news that a life of a heroic service member has been taken in our fight against the evil of radical Islamic terrorism," the statement said. "The sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed forces, and the families they leave behind, are the backbone of the liberty we hold so dear as Americans, united in our pursuit of a safer nation and a freer world."

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is considered one of the most deadly branches of the terrorist organization. The group has been able to get a stronger foothold in Yemen after the country descended into civil war three years ago.

The U.S. has launched drone strikes against al-Qaeda militants in Yemen and has at times deployed Special Operations forces in the country to combat the militants. The U.S. military has also launched occasional ground raids in other countries, such as Libya, where al-Qaeda or militant groups have a presence.

This appeared to be the first such counterterrorism ground raid conducted by the Trump administration, which has pledged to take a hard line to defeat radical Islamic groups.

The name of the service member killed in action was being withheld pending notification of next of kin, the statement said.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our elite service members,” Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of Central Command, said in a statement. “The sacrifices are very profound in our fight against terrorists who threaten innocent peoples across the globe.”