MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Hundreds of hostages, mostly children and women, who were held captive for months or years by Boko Haram extremists in northeastern Nigeria have been rescued from a forest enclave and handed over to authorities, the army said.
The 350 hostages had been held in the Sambisa Forest, a hideout for the extremist group which launched an insurgency in 2009, Maj. Gen. Ken Chigbu, a senior Nigerian army officer, said late Monday while presenting them to authorities in Borno, where the forest is.
The 209 children, 135 women and six men appeared exhausted in their worn-out clothes. Some of the girls had babies believed to have been born from forced marriages, as is often the case with female victims who are either raped or forced to marry the militants while in captivity.
One of the hostages had seven children and spoke of how she and others couldn’t escape because of their children.
Haiti’s international airport reopens after gang violence
Dog Show 101: What's what at the Westminster Kennel Club
Antiques Roadshow guest admits gambling wheel's true value probably 'scared his daughter to death'
Amid GOP focus on elections, Georgia Republicans remove officer found to have voted illegally
PHOTOS: At the Pet Gala, fashion goes to the dogs
Russian offensive on Kharkiv forces some 1,700 civilians to flee
Bouchard scores in OT to lift Oilers to 4
Election deniers moving closer to GOP mainstream as Trump allies fill Congress, report shows
Ukraine says Russia is trying to break through its defenses in the northeastern Kharkiv region
Austrian leader lauds UK's efforts on migration and cites its plan for deportations to Rwanda
From 'Psycho' to a new crop of horror movies, the genre has some mommy issues