American Missionary Kevin Rideout Freed After Nine Months Held in Niger

American missionary Kevin Rideout, kidnapped in Niger's capital on 21 October 2025, was released on 14 August 2026 after nine months held captive, his organization SIM International confirmed. He is healthy and with US officials. No armed group claimed the kidnapping — surprising for the Sahel, a West African region where extremist groups usually take credit for abducting foreigners.