American pilot freed from ISIS affiliate’s custody thanks forces in eastern Libya for his release

An American missionary pilot thanked forces in eastern Libya and their deputy commander-in-chief Saddam Haftar on Sunday for securing his release after being held captive by an ISIS (Daesh) affiliate group operating in Mali, local media reported.

“To my family: I’m free. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. I’m in good health … I want to express my gratefulness, my thank you to General Saddam Haftar and the Libyan army and special forces and everybody who was involved in securing my release and involved in arranging all the logistics for me to be released and brought to Libya safely. Thank you very much,” Kevin Rideout said in a video posted on Libya Review’s account on the US social media platform X.

US President Donald Trump announced that Rideout is preparing to fly to the US following his reunion with his wife, noting that Rideout’s return will mark the 110th captive American freed since he took office for the second time.

"I look forward to seeing Kevin and Krista at the White House soon!" he said on his Truth Social platform.

Trump announced Friday that Rideout, who was held captive in Niger for roughly 10 months, had been returned to US custody.

“I am proud to announce that Kevin Rideout, a wonderful Christian Missionary, is back in United States Custody,” he said in a post on Truth Social.

Rideout was kidnapped outside his home in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Oct. 21, 2025, his missionary organization SIM International said in a statement.

“Kevin is in good health in the care of US officials,” it said, adding that he will soon be reunited with his family.

Niger is facing escalating insecurity from terrorist groups like JNIM and ISIS, with persistent attacks, civilian casualties and displacement primarily concentrated in the western regions.