How Caitlan Coleman and Her Canadian Husband were Found and Rescued

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Adam Goldman and Eric Schmitt, SEALs Poised, US Pressed Pakistanis on Rescue. New York Times, Oct 18, 2017 (front page).
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/ ... tan-navy-seals.html

Quote:

"A CIA drone was circling a remote valley in northwest Pakistan last month when it picked up an unusual sight: a young woman and children in a militant camp [later in this report it is described 'over a Haqqani encampment in the Kurram Valley, a region near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan']. To intelligence analysts, she appeared to be an American abducted five years earlier ['October 2012'] while backpacking in Afghanistan with her Canadian husband. * * * days later, the CIA watched in alarm as militants drove the family out of the camp and across Pakistan’s lawless tribal lands.

"The top American diplomat in Pakistan, Ambassador David Hale * * * deliver[ed] an urgent message to the Pakistani government: Resolve this, or the United States will. * * *  Pakistani officials said they acted within hours. [Weighing whether to send in SEALs, some American officials 'voiced worries about the difficult terrain and the moon — it was too bright for a nighttime airborne raid.']

"In January 2016, the United States thought a deal had been struck with the Haqqanis, with help from Qatar, to release hostages. [But the Haqqants released only Colin Rutherford, a Canadian -- and no one else.]]

circling back to the quotation: "Why the Haqqanis decided to move the family is not clear. But on Oct. 11, as they headed toward Kohat, a city farther inside Pakistan, American intelligence officials realized they could not let the opportunity to save the family slip by — the United States had to act. * * * Pakistanis acted quickly, intercepting the vehicle with Ms. Coleman and her family. According to Pakistani security officials, they were able to shoot out the tires of the vehicle, but the captors manage to flee.  [Mr Boyle gave a different version of the rescue:] Mr Boyle has said a gun battle ensued before he and his family were freed, but American officials remained skeptical and a Pakistani military spokesman has said only that the vehicle's tires were blown out.  In an interview after he was freed, Mr Boyle praised the Pakistanis: “Our gratitude is boundless.”