WASHINGTON: One American and one Italian who had been held hostage by Al Qaeda in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan were killed in a US drone attack, White House said on Thursday.
According to a statement released by White House, American doctor Warren Weinstein and Italian Giovanni Lo Porto were killed in the drone attack near Pak-Afghan border.
White House said al Qaeda member, Adam Gadahn, also was killed, likely in a separate operation.
US President Barack Obama was scheduled to make a statement on the incident.
In a written statement, the White House expressed “tremendous sorrow” over the hostage deaths and said the United States had no reason to believe hostages were at the al Qaeda related compound targeted in the operation.
“Analysis of all available information has led the intelligence community to judge with high confidence that the operation accidentally killed both hostages,” the statement said.
“No words can fully express our regret over this terrible tragedy,” the statement added.
Weinstein was abducted in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2011 while working for a US consulting firm. Al Qaeda had asked to trade him for members of the militant group being held by the United States.
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