An agreement to secure the release of an American hostage held by an ISIS-linked group in West Africa’s Sahel region was brokered with the assistance of eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, according to four sources familiar with the matter.
The hostage, Kevin Rideout, a pilot working for the Christian missionary organization Serving in Mission, was handed over to authorities in eastern Libya late Thursday, one of the sources said.
Haftar’s role in the deal had not previously been reported. His involvement highlights the growing role he has sought to play as a security broker in the Sahel, while potentially strengthening his ties with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Rideout was kidnapped in Niger in October after being seized by three unidentified men while traveling to the airport in Niamey. He was later taken to the Tillaberi region near Niger’s border with Mali and Burkina Faso, where militant groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda operate.
It remains unclear whether any concessions were made in exchange for Rideout’s freedom. One source said the Libyan side paid a ransom, but provided no further details.
The US State Department declined to comment, while the White House did not respond to questions about Haftar’s involvement. Trump said in a social media post that the United States looked forward to welcoming Rideout home.
Two sources said the latest efforts to secure the hostage’s release were led by Cherif Ould Tahar, a Malian Arab businessman with links to armed groups and smuggling networks in the region. Tahar could not immediately be reached for comment.
The United States had made Rideout’s recovery a major priority in its efforts to locate American hostages in the Sahel. For months, US officials believed he may have been transferred to Mali, with the Trump administration taking steps to improve access to Malian airspace as part of efforts to locate him.
The circumstances surrounding Rideout’s transfer to eastern Libya, as well as his subsequent journey out of the region, remain unclear.
