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An American support employee who was taken captive by militants greater than six years in the past has been freed, the Biden administration stated Monday, however the particulars of his launch stay unclear.

Jeffery Woodke, a Christian support employee, was kidnapped in Niger in 2016 and believed to have been taken later to Mali.

“I’m gratified & relieved to see the discharge of U.S. hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity,” White Home nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan stated on Twitter.

Sullivan thanked the federal government of Niger for serving to safe Woodke’s return. Secretary of State Antony Blinken simply returned from Niger on Friday within the first go to to the West African nation by a sitting secretary of state.

“I thank so many throughout our authorities who’ve labored tirelessly towards securing his freedom,” Sullivan stated.

Woodke had lived in Niger full-time for greater than 15 years when armed males appeared at his residence in Abalak in October 2016, killing his guards and abducting him, in keeping with his household. The California native had spent about three a long time dwelling part- or full-time in Niger, the place his work included building of wells and colleges, his spouse, Els Woodke, stated.

In 2017, Woodke stated she believed her husband had initially been held by the Islamic State within the Higher Sahara and that his switch occurred after the dying of that group’s chief, Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, in a French army operation in August. The group can also be believed to have been concerned in an assault that resulted within the deaths of 4 American troops in 2017.

Missy Ryan contributed to this report.

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