Nigerian Army rescues 338 hostages from Boko Haram camps
The Nigerian army has rescued 338 hostages, mostly women and children, from Boko Haram camps in Bulajilin and Manawashe villages on the edge of Sambisa Forest.
A statement by the Nigerian army on Wednesday claimed that at least 30 Boko Haram extremists were killed during the operation on Tuesday. The operation freed 192 children, 138 women and eight men. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the raid.
Acting on a tip, Nigerian troops also ambushed and killed four suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers going to Adamawa state on Tuesday, CNN reports. They recovered two AK-47 rifles, some unexploded bombs, mortar devices and cash.
Tuesday’s successful operation was not the first for the Nigerian Army. In September, 241 women and children were rescued from two camps controlled by Boko Haram, the military reported. The mission took place in Jangurori and Bulatori.
AP reports that none of the 219 girls kidnapped in Chibok town in 2014 were included in the rescued hostages on Tuesday. The massive kidnapping of girls by Boko Haram had sparked the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, which called for international attention to the Nigeria-based Islamist extremist group.
The 2014 abduction led to international outrage against the extremists and the Nigerian government was blamed for failing to rescue the girls. The government’s failures were particularly highlighted after it was reported the six-year-long Islamic uprising had killed around 20,000 people while 2.3 million were driven away from their homes, according to figures by Amnesty International and the United Nations.
Continuous failure to solve the problem and massive corruption had led Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to be replaced by former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari in March.
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