Updated: Nigerian Army Rescues More Than 700 Hostages from Boko Haram This Week

 

UPDATED 5/2/15, 11:00 A.M. EST: The Nigerian military has announced that they have rescued an additional 234 women and children from Boko Haram, reports the BBC.

The freeing of hostages took place on Thursday in the Sambisa Forest, with Defense Info Nigeria releasing the following tweet:

In addition, the military released the following photo of the former hostages:

 

At press time, it still isn’t known whether any of the hostages are of the missing Chibok girls (pictured top). In fact, a local senator went on record to tell the media that the women and children are likely from the surrounding areas.

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UPDATED 4/30/15, 9:30 A.M. EST: Continuing their offensive against Boko Haram, Nigerian Army spokesman Col. Sanu Usman says that the military has rescued 160 more people since freeing nearly 300 hostages earlier this week, according to the BBC. Islamic militant group Boko Haram’s last stronghold is said to be in the vast Sambisa Forest. Therefore, the Nigerian army — along with the Multinational Joint Taskforce — has reportedly been taking the fight to the terrorists. After reportedly rescuing 200 girls and 93 women (read below), the army went on to free about 160 more, with 100 of them being boys and men. Once again, no Chibok girls (pictured) were found among the hostages. According to Col. Usman, military forces were able to destroy nine of Boko Haram’s camps; 13 camps have been destroyed in all. In Wednesday’s fighting, eight women were wounded and one killed. The freed hostages are now undergoing mental evaluations at an undisclosed location.   _______________________________________________________

 

In yet another advancement against Islamic militant group Boko Haram, Nigerian officials announced that they rescued nearly 300 people this week, reports the BBC. RELATED: Islamic State Releases Photos of Boko Haram, Solidifying Ties

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According to General Chris Olukolade, 200 girls and 93 women were rescued from the Sambisa Forest, which is said to be one of the last strongholds of the terrorist organization.

 

 

 

 

 

Using “accurate intelligence” about the whereabouts of Boko Haram’s camps in the forest, the military was reportedly able to free the hostages during a coordinated land and air attack. A number of weapons were also reportedly seized.  Defence HQ Nigeria also announced the news over Twitter:

Unfortunately, officials confirmed that none of the rescued included the missing girls of Chibok (pictured).

In addition to killing more than 15,500 people since 2012, Boko Haram has kidnapped more than 2,000 women and girls in the last 18 months, according to Amnesty International.

In fact, just last month, the residents of Damasak told press that 500 boys had been abducted by the militants.

As Face2Face Africa previously reported:

Residents of the town, though, are now telling authorities that as Boko Haram fled from military forces, they also took with them hundreds of school boys that they had forced in to Islamic school and hundreds more of women and children.

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And while Government Spokesman Mike Omeri has quickly rejected the 500-number figure given out by residents, he did not deny that there were boys missing.

Meanwhile, the missing girls of Government Girls Secondary School have not been seen since Boko Haram put them on video last May.

RELATED: Nigerians Remember Missing Chibok Girls in One-Year Anniversary Ceremony