NIAMEY, Niger — An aid worker from Northern California who was held for more than six years by Islamist extremists was freed and flown to Niger’s capital on Monday.
“I thank God first of all. And after God, I thank the government of Niger, the U.S. government and France. Long live France!” said Woodke. At a 2021 news conference in Washington, Els Woodke said she believed her husband was being held by an al-Qaida-linked militant group known as JNIM and that his captors had sought a multimillion-dollar ransom.
Blinken visited the region last week and on Thursday spoke to the press in Niger, where he announced $150 million in direct assistance to the Sahel region. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said efforts to free Woodke were headed by U.S. military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies , working closely with the French.