An American citizen abducted by a group of armed men has been rescued by American forces in Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a statement made available by the Pentagon on Saturday.

“U.S. forces conducted a hostage rescue operation during the early hours of 31 October in Northern Nigeria to recover an American citizen held hostage by a group of armed men. This American citizen is safe and is now in the care of the U.S. Department of State. No U.S military personnel were injured during the operation,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in the statement.

“We appreciate the support of our international partners in conducting this operation. The United States will continue to protect our people and our interests anywhere in the world.”

The mission was undertaken by elite commandos as part of a major effort to free Phillip Walton, 27, before his abductors could get far after taking him captive in Niger on October 26

The State Department spokesman said that “when a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with families however we can.”