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American citizen Danny Burch has been “recovered” from captivity in Yemen, almost two years after he was abducted in Sana'a, President Donald Trump announced on Monday.

Burch, a Texas native who was working for the state-owned oil company Safer, was abducted “in broad daylight in front of everyone,” his wife Nadia Forsa told the New York Times in September 2017. He moved to Yemen in 2005, per the Times, and converted to Islam before marrying Forsa, who is from Yemen.

Burch had driven his sons to a sports club when he was “stopped on a busy street…by five armed men in civilian clothes” and kidnapped, the Times reported. It was unclear at the time who was behind it, though Reuters reported in 2018 that Burch was being held by Houthi rebels, who have been fighting a grueling war with a U.S.-backed coalition aligned with Yemen's internationally-recognized president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Trump tweeted that Burch's release was brought about with help from the United Arab Emirates, and “reflects the best of what the United States & its partners can accomplish.” Burch is one of several American citizens that have been freed during President Trump's time in office; recovering hostages “is a priority” of the Trump administration, the President tweeted.

SEE ALSO: Marine Veteran Austin Tice Is Still Alive After Years Of Captivity, US Official Says

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Haley Britzky
Haley Britzky

Haley Britzky joined Task & Purpose as the Army reporter in January 2019. She previously worked at Axios covering breaking news. She reports on important developments within the service, from new uniforms to new policies; the realities of military life facing soldiers and their families; and broader cultural issues that expand outside of the Army, touching each of the military services. Contact the author here.

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