Russia said its soldiers successfully freed 21 Chadian soldiers who had been held captive by armed groups for nine months. The rescue mission was a joint operation with “colleagues from the Republic of Chad”, the Russian Defense Ministry said.The soldiers had been captured by Islamic militants during a mine-clearing operation at an airport in the Tibesti region. They were held in inhumane conditions and tortured while held at the camp, as per Russian media reports.Chad’s defence minister expressed gratitude to Russia for its role in the operation, highlighting its reliability as a partner to African states. The minister said Chad’s western allies France, the UK, and the US only sought to benefit from African nations.