Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement released today that the United States mounted a failed rescue operation recently to free American hostages held in Syria by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The announcement of the operation comes in the wake of the news of American journalist James Foley’s apparent beheading by ISIL terrorists as well as the retaking of the Mosul Dam complex by Kurdish forces supported by U.S. airstrikes.

“This operation involved air and ground components and was focused on a particular captor network within ISIL. Unfortunately, the mission was not successful because the hostages were not present at the targeted location.”

Kirby’s statement reads as follows:

“The United States attempted a rescue operation recently to free a number of American hostages held in Syria by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),” Kirby’s statement read. “This operation involved air and ground components and was focused on a particular captor network within ISIL. Unfortunately, the mission was not successful because the hostages were not present at the targeted location.

“As we have said repeatedly, the United States government is committed to the safety and well-being of its citizens, particularly those suffering in captivity. In this case, we put the best of the United States military in harms’ way to try and bring our citizens home.

“The United States government uses the full breadth of our military, intelligence and diplomatic capabilities to bring people home whenever we can. The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will work tirelessly to secure the safety of our citizens and to hold their captors accountable.”