Navy Seal Member Killed: Nicolas D. Checque Died In Taliban Raid Mission To Save Abducted Dr. Dilip Joseph

The Pentagon has confirmed that Officer 1^st Class Nicolas D. Checque was killed in combat after attempting to save the American doctor that was kidnapped by Talibans. The Twenty-eight-year-old succumbed to his injuries on his rescue mission in Afghanistan.

The Pennsylvania native was the only Navy Seal that died during the mission and "deepest condolences to the family of the American sailor who died during Dilip's rescue" were expressed from Dr. Dilip Joseph's family in a statement, "We are incredibly grateful for the multiple agencies of the U.S. government that have supported us in this difficult time, and especially the quick response by our military and partner allies to rescue Dilip," the family said. "They showed great heroism and professionalism."

According to NATO-led forces, American doctor, Dr. Dilip Joseph was rescued in a raid after being abducted by Taliban insurgents in eastern Afghanistan. The Colorado Springs native was kidnapped along with two other doctors who were working for the U.S.-based NGO Morning Star in the Sarobi district of Kabul province.

Commander of NATO-led foreign forces in Afghanistan, U.S. General John Allen commented that the raid was necessary and Joseph was, "In imminent danger of injury or death," he added, "Today's mission exemplifies our unwavering commitment to defeating the Taliban. I'm proud of the American and Afghan forces that planned, rehearsed and successfully conducted this operation." Proud of the team who've rescued Joseph he continued, "Thanks to them, Dr. Joseph will soon be rejoining his family and loved ones."

According to the "Boston Globe," Afghanistan forces helped in searching for the doctor who was abducted on Wednesday. Spokesman for the US forces in Afghanistan, 1st Lieutenant Joseph Alonso released a statement:

"This was a combined operation of U.S. and Afghan forces. Information was collected through multiple intelligence sources, which allowed Afghan and coalition forces to identify the location of Joseph and the criminals responsible for his captivity."