President Donald Trump hailed SEAL Team 6 for its successful rescue of an American citizen taken hostage in Nigeria on Saturday, saying the kidnappers “wished they’d never done it.”
The U.S. military announced the successful operation Saturday, saying the American citizen, Philip Walton, had been taken hostage for less than a week before the U.S. special forces unit rescued them, killing six of seven kidnappers.
Trump made the comments during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, hours after first praising the special forces unit on Twitter.
“Last night, our Country’s brave warriors rescued an American hostage in Nigeria,” he tweeted. “Our Nation salutes the courageous soldiers behind the daring nighttime rescue operation and celebrates the safe return of yet another American citizen!”
Officials said local gang members kidnapped the Walton, who the military described as a farmer, from his backyard in Niger and planned to hold him for ransom. U.S. officials also said they feared the gang would sell Walton to terrorist groups operating in the region, according to CBS News.
Neither the U.S. service members nor Walton were injured in the operation, according to the Pentagon.
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