Obama says U.S. warplanes involved in Somali rescue mission
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-says-us-warplanes-involved-in-somali-rescue-mission/2013/01/13/6c8ad022-5de3-11e2-89a2-2eabfad24542_story.html
Anonymous/AP - A French commando raid in Somalia to free intelligence agent Denis Allex ended in the deaths of 17 Islamists and a French soldier. France said the hostage also died in the failed rescue, but the man's captors denied he had been killed.
U.S. military fighter jets provided backup support to a failed French hostage rescue mission in Somalia, the White House announced Sunday in a rare public acknowledgment of American combat operations in the Horn of Africa.
In a letter to Congress, President Obama said U.S. combat aircraft provided limited technical support to French forces late Friday as they attempted to rescue a French spy who had been held captive for more than three years.
The risky mission by French commandos ended disastrously after a gun battle with Islamist fighters from the al-Shabab militant network. The hostage, identified by his cover name, Denis Allex, was presumed killed and a French soldier was reported missing.
Obama said the U.S. warplanes briefly entered Somali airspace but did not open fire and departed Somalia by 8 p.m. Friday, Washington time. He said he approved the mission but gave no other details.