After spending more than six years in captivity in Western Africa, American aid worker Jeffery Woodke has been freed. In addition, French journalist Olivier Dubois, who disappeared in April 2021, was also released.

Woodke was kidnapped by a terrorist organization while in Niger in 2016. He was then moved across the border to Mali.

The U.S. government has spent years trying to secure Woodke's release both diplomatically and militarily. In October 2017, American troops attempted a nighttime raid to locate Doundoun Cheffou, a terrorist leader suspected to be involved in Woodke's kidnapping. The raid failed, and several hours later, four Americans were killed in an ambush.

Officials praised the government of Niger for securing the release of Woodke and said that the United States did not pay a ransom for his release.

"There was no direct negotiation here between the U.S. government and the terrorist organizations, it is worth making that clear. Certainly, we did not pay a ransom, a concession to a terrorist organization here," a U.S. official told CNN. "Emerging as our best line of effort among many that we have tried over the years was working to see what a very good and capable and thankfully willing partner in Niger was able to deliver in their own engagement."

Woodke is in good health and is currently in Niamey, the capital of Niger.

Mike McConnell