VIDEO: Islamic State captives rescued from death
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Dramatic vision has surfaced from Iraq apparently showing the moment 70 hostages were freed from Islamic State (IS) militants last week.
United States and Kurdish forces stormed a prison near Hawijah in northern Iraq after learning that IS was planning a mass execution.
Five IS militants were captured and others were killed.
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The footage, captured by a Kurdish fighter’s helmet camera, shows the hostages crouching and running through the prison.
Men in ankle length traditional robes could be seen running past the camera, some with their hands up, while soldiers shouted “let’s go, let’s go” in Arabic, The Guardian reported.
Some hostages had blood on their clothing as they fled and gunfire could be heard as they escaped.
One Americans soldier was wounded “acting in support of Iraqi Peshmerga forces after they came under fire from [Islamic State]” and subsequently died after receiving medical attention, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said last week.
“Approximately 70 hostages were rescued including more than 20 members of the Iraqi security forces,” Mr Cook said.
US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said he had ordered the rescue operation after authorities learned execution was imminent.
One American soldier was killed in the raid, Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler – the first American casualty in Iraq since 2011.
He died in “small-arms” fire, according to Sky News, as he attempted to assist Kurdish allies.
See the video below.
-with ABC