UPDATE 2-U.S. special forces rescue American held in Nigeria: officials

(Recasts with U.S. officials, adds details)
By Idrees Ali
WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - U.S. special forces rescued
an American citizen who had been kidnapped by armed men in an
operation on Saturday in northern Nigeria that is believed to
have killed several of his captors, U.S. officials said.
Forces including Navy SEALs rescued 27-year-old Philip
Walton, who had been abducted on Tuesday from his home in
neighboring southern Niger, two U.S. officials said on condition
of anonymity, adding that no U.S. troops were hurt.
A diplomat source in Niger said Walton is now at the U.S.
ambassador's residence in Niamey.
"Big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces today," U.S.
President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox
News that the Trump administration had over the years rescued 55
hostages in 24 countries.
The Pentagon confirmed the operation but did not provide the
identity of the hostage.
Walton, who kept camels, sheep and poultry and grew mangoes
near the border with Nigeria, was kidnapped by six men armed
with AK-47 assault rifles who arrived on motorcycles at his home
in southern Niger's Massalata village early on Tuesday.
His wife, young daughter and brother were left behind.
Reuters has reported that the perpetrators appeared to be
from the Fulani ethnic group, and that they spoke Hausa and some
English. They demanded money and searched the family's home
before leaving with Walton. Niger, like much of West Africa's Sahel region, faces a
deepening security crisis as groups with links to al Qaeda and
Islamic State carry out attacks on the army and civilians,
despite help from French and U.S. forces.
Four U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger in
2017, sparking debate about the United States' role in the
sparsely populated West African desert that is home to some of
the world's poorest countries.
At least six foreign hostages are being held by Islamist
insurgents in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Islamists have
collected millions of dollars in ransom payments in recent
years. The U.S. government has frequently criticized other
countries for paying.