Three Americans who were facing execution in the Democratic Republic of Congo for a botched coup attempt were returned to U.S. custody amid progress in talks to grant Americans access to rare minerals in the country.

Three American citizens jailed over a failed coup attempt in Democratic Republic of Congo were handed over to U.S. custody on Tuesday, officials said, following high-level talks between the two countries on security and mining deals,

The three Americans convicted for participating in a botched coup attempt in Congo last year have been repatriated to the United States, officials say.

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged four Americans for their role in an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo after three of the men were returned to U.S. custody this week, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday.

Three American men had been sentenced to death in Congo but were extradited to the U.S., where they were charged with with participating in the failed coup.

Three Americans repatriated to the United States from Congo have been charged by the DOJ with staging an elaborate coup attempt aimed at overthrowing the African nation’s government.