A US Catholic nun who was kidnapped by armed men in April in Burkina Faso has been freed, the bishop of the local north-east diocese of Kaya has said.

“Sister Suellen is currently in a safe place and in good health,” Bishop Theophile Nare said in a statement.

Suellen Tennyson, 83, was taken hostage from a local parish in the middle of the night, leaving behind her glasses and blood pressure medication.

The identity of the kidnappers is not known.

However, several militant groups have carried out attacks in Burkina Faso.

Bishop Nare said he did not have any information on the circumstances leading to Sister Suellen’s release. The FBI had put out a missing person notice after the kidnapping.

Several militant groups allied to al-Qaeda and Islamic State operate in the Sahel region and are known to carry out attacks and kidnapping against civilians in Burkina Faso and neighbouring countries.

Regional nations continue to launch several offensive operations against the militant groups.