Manhunting is a term sometimes used for military operations by
special operations forces and
intelligence organizations to search for, and capture or kill important enemy combatants, known as
high-value targets. It has been used particularly in the United States during the
War on Terror.
The most visible such operations conducted involve
counterterrorist activities. Some involve government-sanctioned
targeted killing or
extrajudicial execution, and such operations have drawn political and legal controversy. Other military operations, such as
hostage rescue
A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized, such as a relative, employer, law enforcement or government to act, or refr ...
or
personnel recovery
The United States Armed Forces, in Joint Publication 3-50 Personnel Recovery, defines personnel recovery as "the sum of military, diplomatic, and civil efforts to prepare for and
execute the recovery and reintegration of isolated personnel."
The ...
, employ similar tactics and techniques.
The term has been used for some US operations such as
Operation Red Dawn
Saddam Hussein, the deposed president of Iraq, was captured by the United States military forces in the town of Ad-Dawr, Iraq on 13 December 2003. Codenamed Operation Red Dawn, this military operation was named after the 1984 American film ''Red ...
, the apprehension of
Saddam Hussein, the search for
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
[Chris Cuomo and Eamon McNiff]
"The Men in the Shadows – Hunting al-Zarqawi: Task Force 145 Is an Elite Special Ops Unit That Spent Years Tracking al-Zarqawi,"
ABC News, June 9, 2006 and the
killing of Osama bin Laden
On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden, the founder and first leader of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, was shot several times and killed at his compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, by United States Navy SEALs of the U.S. Naval S ...
in May 2011.
Notable military manhunts
See also
*
Assassination
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...
*
Targeted killing
Targeted killing is a form of murder or assassination carried out by governments outside a judicial procedure or a battlefield.
Since the late 20th century, the legal status of targeted killing has become a subject of contention within and betw ...
*
Manhunt (law enforcement)
In law enforcement, a manhunt is an extensive and thorough search for a wanted and dangerous fugitive involving the use of police units, technology, and help from the public.
A manhunt is conducted when the suspect believed to be responsible fo ...
*
Extraordinary rendition
Extraordinary rendition is a euphemism for state-sponsored Kidnapping, forcible abduction in another jurisdiction and transfer to a third state. The phrase usually refers to a United States-led program used during the War on Terror, which had t ...
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manhunt (Military)
Military tactics
Operations involving special forces
Intelligence operations by type
Counterterrorism