On Tuesday at around 1:45 a.m. local time, in southern Niger, US citizen named Philipe Nathan Walton was kidnapped by 6 men with AK-47s on motorbikes, per media. The armed kidnappers called his father, who lives about a mile away, and demanded ransom, a local official said.
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2/ It was unclear if the kidnappers were members of the Islamic State or another terrorist group, but there's always the risk that even if they weren't extremists, the kidnappers might sell a hostage to such a group. There are several foreigners being held hostage in Niger.
3/ The Pentagon then flew members of the US Navy's elite SEAL Team 6 to the region, a US official with knowledge of the operation tells @barbarastarrcnn.
Early this morning they conducted a hostage rescue operation to save Walton.
Early this morning they conducted a hostage rescue operation to save Walton.
4/ Per @ChiefPentSpox: "This American citizen is safe and is now in the care of the U.S. Department of State. No U.S military personnel were injured during the operation."
cnn.com/2020/10/31/pol…
cnn.com/2020/10/31/pol…
5/ The official told Starr that the SEALs killed six of the seven captors. Looks like they were criminals motivated by money not extremist views.
@SecPompeo said "the hostage will be reunited with his family. We will never abandon any American taken hostage."
@SecPompeo said "the hostage will be reunited with his family. We will never abandon any American taken hostage."
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