US Hostage Freed in Sahel With Haftar's Help

An American missionary pilot held hostage by an Islamic State affiliate in West Africa's Sahel region has been freed following a deal brokered with the assistance of eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, according to multiple sources. The hostage, Kevin Rideout, was handed over to Libyan authorities late on August 14, 2026, and is now expected to return to the United States.

Rideout, a pilot working for the evangelical agency Serving in Mission, was kidnapped in Niger in October 2025. He was seized by three unidentified men on his way to the airport in Niamey and taken to the western Tillaberi region of Niger, where Islamist militants linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda operate. For months, U.S. officials believed Rideout may have been moved to Malian territory, and his recovery was a top priority for the Trump administration in the Sahel.

The operation to secure his release involved eastern Libyan authorities under Haftar's command. Four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Haftar's forces played a key role in the deal. One source stated that a ransom was paid, though the specific terms of the agreement were not immediately clear. Another source, a...