Trump hails ‘big win for our very elite US Special Forces’ as kidnapped American Philip Walton freed in ‘high-risk raid’
PRESIDENT Donald Trump hailed a "big win" for the US military on Saturday after a kidnapped American was rescued in a "high-risk raid."
Philipe Nathan Walton, 27, had been in on October 26 and gunmen demanded a ransom from his relatives, local officials said.
He was taken from his farm, where he lives with his wife and daughter, in Massalata in southern Niger at 1.45am.
on Saturday that Walton has been rescued by the elite Navy Seal Team Six "during a high-risk US military raid in neighboring Nigeria."
officials said the Seal team "carried out the rescue mission and killed all but one of the captors."
The operation was said to have involved the , Niger, and governments.
Trump said on Saturday that the raid happened at "my direction."
"Tthe United States military conducted a successful operation to rescue an American hostage in Nigeria, kidnapped just 96 hours earlier.
"United States Special Forces executed a daring nighttime operation to rescue their fellow American with exceptional skill, precision, and bravery.
"No United States Service Members were harmed," Trump said. "The former hostage is currently in good health and has been reunited with his family."
The president continued: "Securing the freedom of Americans held in captivity abroad has been a top national security priority of my Administration."
"Since the beginning of my Administration, we have rescued over 55 hostages and detainees in more than 24 countries," he said. "Today’s operation should serve as a stark warning to terrorists and criminal thugs who mistakenly believe they can kidnap Americans with impunity."
tweeted of the mission on Saturday, writing: "Last night, our Country’s brave warriors rescued an American hostage in Nigeria.
"Our Nation salutes the courageous soldiers behind the daring nighttime rescue operation and celebrates the safe return of yet another American citizen!
"Big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces today, " he added.
He later told reporters: "I want to thank the special forces. We had a tremendous event happen, and really these are incredible people that do this."
"It was something that had to get done because they were playing with American citizens – we can't let that happen.
"These are great people, the best in the world, there's nobody like them," Trump said.
At a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, the president added: "The kidnappers wished they had never done it."
"We got our American citizen, we got our young man back, but the other side suffered gravely."
The news outlet reported the kidnappers demanded money from Walton, who only had $40.
Walton's kidnappers called and demanded $1million ransom from his dad, who lives roughly half a mile away from the farm.
It's unclear who was responsible for Walton's abduction, but officials told ABC News they don't believe the kidnappers were from a terrorist group.
The officials said they believe the abductors were an armed group from Nigeria.
However, hostages are often sold to terrorist groups.
A US official the armed attackers threatened to sell Walton to extremists.
A spokesperson for the US state department previously said they were aware of the attack and was giving the family support while working with local authorities to find Walton.
"When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with families however we can," the State Department said.
“U.S. forces conducted a hostage rescue operation during the early hours of 31 October in Northern Nigeria to recover an American citizen held hostage by a group of armed men," Jonathan Hoffman, chief Pentagon spokesman, .
"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," he said.
Hoffman continued: "We appreciate the support of our international partners in conducting this operation.
"The United States will continue to protect our people and our interests anywhere in the world.”
Niger has faced a growing number of attacks by extremists linked to both the group and to .
The kidnapping comes two months after ISIS-linked militants killed six French aid workers and their Niger guide while they were visiting a wildlife park east of the capital.
Walton's kidnapping brought the number of foreign hostages believed to be held by extremist groups in Niger to seven.
ISIS is believed to be holding one other American, Jeffrey Woodke, who was abducted from his home in Abalak, Niger in 2016.
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Woodke had been in Niger for nearly three decades providing humanitarian services and disaster relief, according to a video message released by his wife to the kidnappers two years ago.
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A German, Jorg Lang, who was kidnapped in April 2018, is also believed to be held by ISIS.
Four other foreign hostages believed to be held by al-Qaeda-linked militants are from Romania, Australia, Colombia, and South Africa.