Libya's Haftar played key role in release of US hostage held by Islamic State, sources say

DAKAR, Aug 14 - A deal to free an American hostage held by an Islamic State affiliate in West Africa's Sahel region was brokered with the help of the eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, four sources told Reuters.

The hostage, a pilot working for a Christian missionary organization in Niger, was handed over to eastern Libyan authorities late Thursday, one of the sources said. Libya's role in the deal has not previously been reported.

Haftar's involvement in the freeing of a U.S. hostage reflects how he has carved out a position as a major security broker in the Sahel region, and has used it as leverage to curry favour with the Trump administration.

The missionary, Kevin Rideout, worked for the evangelical agency Serving in Mission and was kidnapped in Niger in October. It was not clear what, if anything, was traded in exchange for his release. One of the four sources said the Libyan side had paid a ransom, without providing further details.

The State Department declined to comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment about Haftar's involvement. In a social media post, Trump said the U.S. looks forward to welcoming Rideout home.

The authorities in eastern Libya were not immediately available for comment.

Reuters reported last year that Rideout was seized by three unidentified men on his way to the airport in Niamey and taken to the western Tillaberi region of Niger, where Islamist militants linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda operate.

The U.S. has made recovering Rideout one of its top priorities in the Sahel. The Trump administration lifted sanctions on top Malian government officials earlier this year in an effort to secure overflight access to the country's airspace to hunt for the pilot.

For months, officials believed Rideout may have been moved to Malian territory.

The details of Rideout's handover to Libyan authorities and his journey to Libya were not immediately clear.

Two sources said the recent effort to secure his release from the Islamic State affiliate was led by Cherif Ould Tahar, a Malian Arab businessman with connections to regional armed groups and smuggling networks. Tahar could not immediately be reached for comment. REUTERS