Key facts
- American missionary pilot Kevin Rideout has been released after nine months in captivity in Niger.
- The release was facilitated by a deal involving eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar.
- Rideout is confirmed to be in good health and in U.S. custody, accompanied by FBI officials.
- He was kidnapped in October by unidentified men and taken to the Tillaberi region of Niger.
- The U.S. administration had previously taken steps, such as lifting sanctions on Malian officials, to aid in the search for Rideout.
American missionary pilot Kevin Rideout has been released after being held for over nine months in Niger. The release was reportedly facilitated by a deal brokered with the assistance of eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, a detail not previously reported. Rideout, who worked for the evangelical agency Serving in Mission, was kidnapped in October and is now in U.S. custody, accompanied by FBI officials and en route to the United States. His captors remain unidentified, though concerns had been raised about links to Islamist militant groups operating in the Sahel region. The U.S. administration had previously taken measures, including lifting sanctions on Malian officials, in an effort to locate the pilot. Haftar's involvement highlights his growing role as a security broker in the region.