U.S. Drone Kills Two Innocent Hostages Warren Weinstein, Giovanni Lo Porto: Al Qaeda Compound Target Ends in Tragic Accident

It's being reported that a United States drone strike that was targeting an al Qaeda compound has resulted in the accidental death of two hostages, one of whom was an American. Now, President Barack Obama is speaking out in deep, deep apology. According to reports from CNN, Warren Weinstein and Giovanni Lo Porto were killed when the U.S. military drone attacked the compound.

Taking to the podium, the President announced, "As President and commander in chief, I take full responsibility for all our counterterrorism operations, including the one that inadvertently took the lives of Warren and Giovanni."

Obama noted that both Warren and Giovanni were "aid workers in Pakistan, devoted to improving the lives of the Pakistani people."

CNN notes that alongside the two innocent hostages, two American al Qaeda workers were killed in the strike, as was al Qaeda leader Ahmed Farouq, and Adam Gadahn, a senior member of al Qaeda.

The President notes that before striking, the U.S. government was under the impression that it was an al Qaeda compound and that there were no hostages in the area.

President Obama speaking now about hostages, American al Qaeda operatives killed in counterterrorism ops. https://t.co/4PP7sDC5tZ

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 23, 2015

"What we did not know, tragically, is that al Qaeda was hiding the presence of Warren and Giovanni in this same compound," Obama said.

"It is a cruel and bitter truth that in the fog of war, generally, and our fight against terror specifically, mistakes – sometimes deadly mistakes – can occur."

Take a look at President Barack Obama's apology and more on CNN.

[Image Courtesy of Politico/Twitter]