Update: Nigerian Troops Save 19 Foreign Captives In Successful Rescue Mission
Lagos, Nigeria (AHN) – A day after MEND threatened a major military operation, Nigerian troops on Tuesday rescued all 19 hostages in the first successful rescue of foreign captives in the Niger Delta this month.
Hostages included several foreign nationals from the United States, France, Indonesia and Canada. No hostages were killed in the incident, however, it was not clear whether the troops killed any militants.
Unidentified gunmen attacked a London-based Alfren PLC’s oil rig and kidnapped the foreigners on November 8.
A week later, militants seized eight more Nigerians on an ExxonMobil platform Akwa Ibom state. MEND claimed the responsibility of the abductions. The violence in the region has remarkably subsided since last year.
Earlier, militants forced to reduce the country’s oil production by one-third that caused global rise in oil prices.
The halt in spiraling price rise came after the government signed a cease-fire agreement with oil militants last year and agreed to hand them cash pay-out and job training.
Despite the agreement, a small faction of MEND restarted the kidnappings.
“We’ve got confirmed reports that, yes, all 19 have been reported freed,” one of the security sources said. “It was a Joint Task Force operation,” he added because it involved police and military personnel. Another security source also confirmed the release.
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