Navy SEAL, 8-year-old girl killed in Pres. Trump's first military raid
A image from the Facebook page devoted to Nawar al Awlaki, who reportedly died during a raid in which a US Navy SEAL officer was also killed.
SANAA, Yemen (KTVU, AP) - An 8-year-old American girl was reportedly among those killed during a deadly raid in Yemen that also resulted in the death of a 36-year-old Navy SEAL over the weekend.
Pentagon officials have identified the soldier as Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens from Illinois.
“Ryan gave his full measure for our nation, and in performing his duty, he upheld the noblest standard of military service,” Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a statement.
Three service members were also wounded Sunday during the fire-fight with militants from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula's branch of Yemen.
The raid left almost 30 others dead, including an estimated 14 militants and women and children, according to reports.
Nasser al-Awlaki, the grandfather of 8-year-old Nawar al-Awlaki, also known as Nora, said his granddaughter was among those killed.
Images of the girl have been circulating around the globe. On Sunday, someone created a Facebook page titled, "Justice For Nawar Al Awlaki," purporting that the girl was killed in U.S. raids.
Nora was the daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a New Mexico born radical Yemeni-American cleric killed in a U.S. airstrike in Yemen in 2011.
Her 16-year-old brother, Abdulrahman, was killed by another US drone strike two weeks after her father was killed.
Nasser al-Awlaki told The Associated Press that his granddaughter was visiting her mother when the raid took place. She was shot in the neck and bled for two hours before she died, he said.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told journalists he could not provide details about the raid.
Earlier he said that in addition to killing militants, U.S. forces "captured a whole host of information about future plots that's going to benefit this country and keep us safe."