Nigerian troops have freed hundreds of hostages held by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram in recent counter-terrorism efforts in Nigeria's northeast.
In a press statement released yesterday, by army Public Relations Director Sani Usman, the Nigerian military is aimed at driving out terrorists and rescuing their captives. About 829 people were freed last week.
He said, the army rescued 520 people in the village of Kusumma, and 309 others from 11 other villages. Troops have also rescued 72 people held captive in northeast villages in two “clearance operations,” He added that the Boko Haram sect still holds an unknown number of hostages they are still trying to rescue.
Usman said of one of last week’s missions.
“The gallant troops cleared the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists hibernating in Kala Balge general area,”He added that Nigerian soldiers also destroyed a terrorist training camp, warehouse, and factory in Tilem village. Twenty-nine insurgents were killed and that troops recovered weapons from Boko Haram hiding spots in the operations that freed 72 people.
The Atlantic