American Missionary Pilot Freed in Niger After Nine Months

SIM International said August 14, 2026, that missionary pilot Kevin Rideout, kidnapped in Niamey on October 21, 2025, was released in good health to U.S. officials. Niger's 2023 coup and U.S. troop withdrawal had strained ties, though limited security cooperation, including a $2.3 million equipment donation, continued. The State Department had not confirmed the release.