Nigeria
troops have freed some 700 women and children from Boko Haram’s Sambisa
forest stronghold over the past week, but uncertainty remained on
Saturday over the fate of 219 girls seized from their school in Chibok
last year in a kidnapping that sparked global outrage.
In the latest rescue, “234 women and children were rescued through the Kawuri and Konduga end of Sambisa forest on Thursday,” the defence headquarters said in a statement late Friday.
“They have been evacuated to join others at the place of ongoing screening,” it said, adding that the latest batch was “in addition to the previous individuals earlier rescued during the ongoing operation in the area.”
Around 500 women and children have already been freed by the military from the Islamists in the past few days.
The military said the “assault on the forest is continuing from various fronts and efforts are concentrated on rescuing hostages of civilians and destroying all terrorists camps and facilities in the forest.”
Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman told AFP Saturday the hostages were freed without much resistance.
In the latest rescue, “234 women and children were rescued through the Kawuri and Konduga end of Sambisa forest on Thursday,” the defence headquarters said in a statement late Friday.
“They have been evacuated to join others at the place of ongoing screening,” it said, adding that the latest batch was “in addition to the previous individuals earlier rescued during the ongoing operation in the area.”
Around 500 women and children have already been freed by the military from the Islamists in the past few days.
The military said the “assault on the forest is continuing from various fronts and efforts are concentrated on rescuing hostages of civilians and destroying all terrorists camps and facilities in the forest.”
Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman told AFP Saturday the hostages were freed without much resistance.
