An American missionary who was kidnapped in the West African country of Niger in October has been released and is with U.S. officials, according to his mission organization.
The organization, called Serving in Mission, which works in more than 70 countries, said in a statement that Mr. Rideout, a pilot, was free after more than nine months in captivity.
“We are grateful to confirm that our good friend and brother in Christ, Kevin Rideout, has been released,” the statement read. The mission said he was in “good health in the care of U.S. officials” and would soon be reunited with his wife, Krista; their four children; and his extended family.
The statement added, “Krista and the rest of Kevin’s family are profoundly grateful for the prayers offered on their behalf by people around the world throughout his captivity.”
Mr. Rideout’s release was earlier reported by The New York Times based on the account of two U.S. officials, who spoke on Thursday on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. How and where he was released were not yet clear, the officials said at the time, and it was also unclear which group had held him at the end of his captivity. Mr. Rideout’s release had been a major priority for the White House and for the military’s Africa Command.
In May, the French journalist and researcher Wassim Nasr, who has been monitoring jihadist groups in the area for several years, said that Mr. Rideout was being held in Ménaka, a region in Mali just over the border with Niger. That area is mostly controlled by a local branch of the Islamic State.
For years, Mali and Niger have been battling insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. In April, Al Qaeda-linked militants launched coordinated attacks across Mali, seizing a major city and killing the country’s defense minister.
