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US special forces rescued a US citizen in an operation Saturday in northern Nigeria that is believed to have killed several of his captors, US officials said.
Forces, including the Navy Seals, rescued 27-year-old Philip Walton, who was abducted Tuesday from his home in Niger’s southern neighbor, two US officials said on condition of anonymity, adding that no US soldiers were injured.
A diplomatic source in Niger said Walton was now at the residence of the US ambassador in Niamey.
“Great victory for our elite American special forces today,” Donald Trump wrote on Twitter.
The Pentagon confirmed the operation but did not provide the identity of the hostage.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “The United States is committed to the safe return of all captured US citizens. We made that commitment last night in Nigeria, where some of our bravest and most skilled warriors rescued an American citizen after he was taken hostage by a group of gunmen across the border in Niger.
“Thanks to the extraordinary courage and capabilities of our armed forces, the support of our intelligence professionals and our diplomatic efforts, the hostage will be reunited with his family. We will never abandon any American taken hostage. “
Walton, who raised camels, sheep and poultry and grew mangoes near the Nigerian border, was kidnapped by six men armed with assault rifles who arrived on motorcycles at his home in the southern Niger village of Massalata. early Tuesday morning.
His wife, young daughter and brother were left behind. The perpetrators demanded money and searched the house before leaving with Walton.
Niger, like much of the Sahel region in West Africa, faces a deepening security crisis as groups with ties to al-Qaida and the Islamic State carry out attacks against the military and civilians. , despite the help of French and American forces.
Four American soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger in 2017, sparking a debate over the role of the United States in the sparsely populated desert of West Africa that is home to some of the poorest countries in the world.
Islamist insurgents are holding at least six foreign hostages in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Islamists have raised millions of dollars in ransom payments in recent years. The United States government has frequently criticized other countries for paying.
