Nigerian Military Rescues 350 Hostages from Boko Haram Militants

Hundreds of hostages, mainly women and children, who were held captive by Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria, have been rescued from a forest hideout in Sambisa Forest.

The 350 hostages, who endured captivity for months or even years, were freed during a military operation in the forest, which was previously a forest reserve near the border with Cameroon and Niger. The rescued individuals have been taken to the Borno state government headquarters, where they will receive care until they can safely return home. A number of extremists were neutralized during the rescue mission, and their temporary dwellings were dismantled.

Boko Haram, an indigenous jihadist group in Nigeria, initiated an insurgency in 2009 with the aim of imposing Islamic Sharia law in the nation. The violence orchestrated by extremists has resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 people and displacement of 2.1 million others.

Since the abduction of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents in Chibok village, Borno state, in 2014, approximately 1,400 students have been taken from schools across Nigeria. In recent times, kidnappings have been rampant in the conflict-ridden northwestern and central regions, where armed factions frequently target local residents and travelers to extort ransom.