The United States was clueless on a possible breakthrough in talks to free a South African hostage who was killed in a U.S. military operation against Al Qaeda militants in Yemen, a U.S. diplomat said on Monday.

U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Patrick Gaspard said American officials did not know of any progress in negotiations between hostage-takers and an aid organization helping to secure the hostages' release.

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A South African humanitarian relief group, Gift of the Givers, had been actively pursuing talks to free South African hostage Pierre Korkie.

U.S. President Barack Obama announced he ordered the raid because he believed Somers will be harmed after  Al Qaeda came out with footage threatening to kill him in three days if the U.S. did not meet the hostage-takers' demands.

Gaspard doubted if the South African government got wind of the talks.

A military rescue led by the U.S. forces resulted in the deaths of Korkie and another hostage, Luke Somers.

A leader of the aid group, Gift of the Givers, has said that Korkie was supposed to be released on Sunday under a deal with Al Qaeda.

Gaspard said the U.S. had not been informed about that but the U.S. decided to carry out the raid because the militants had threatened to kill Somers.

He quoted remarks by negotiators that there were no guarantees that the supposed release of Korkie would have happened without a hitch.

The ambassador did say the talks apparently made progress.

Gaspard added it did appear that negotiations for the hostages' release were pretty far down the track.

Tagsyemen, Pierre Korkie, Luke Somers, Al-qaeda