The Nigerian army claimed to have rescued as many as 200 girls and 93 women during an offensive against the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.
“Troops have this afternoon captured & destroyed three camps of terrorists inside the Sambisa forest & rescued 200 girls & 93 women,” said defence spokesman Chris Olukolade, with the Nigerian army also claiming to have destroyed 3 camps in the Boko Haram stronghold.
It has not yet been confirmed whether any of the rescued group are part of the more than 200 schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014 – a move that triggered international outrage and sparked the #BringBackOurGirls Twitter campaign. Amnesty International accuses the group of kidnapping more than 2,000 women and girls since the start of 2014.
Last week the Nigerian army, backed by airstrikes, led an offensive into the Sambisa forest, where they are currently battling Boko Haram militants.
“Troops have this afternoon captured & destroyed three camps of terrorists inside the Sambisa forest & rescued 200 girls & 93 women,” said defence spokesman Chris Olukolade, with the Nigerian army also claiming to have destroyed 3 camps in the Boko Haram stronghold.
It has not yet been confirmed whether any of the rescued group are part of the more than 200 schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014 – a move that triggered international outrage and sparked the #BringBackOurGirls Twitter campaign. Amnesty International accuses the group of kidnapping more than 2,000 women and girls since the start of 2014.
Last week the Nigerian army, backed by airstrikes, led an offensive into the Sambisa forest, where they are currently battling Boko Haram militants.