Soldiers in Nigeria, West Africa, have freed 360 civilians who had been abducted by the Boko Haram jihadist militia, the Nigerian Army said on Sunday.
The hostages, who included children, were rescued from a remote hideout in the Mandara Mountains in the north-eastern state of Borno, military spokesman Haruna Sani saId. The rescue operation was preceded by weeks of intelligence work, Sani added.
The hostages included minors, women and men. According to Sani, two infants did not survive the harsh conditions of captivity. The majority of those rescued had reportedly been abducted in early May. Some of the militia fighters managed to flee into the surrounding forests, whilst others surrendered, the military spokesman said.
Boko Haram has been fighting the state in north-eastern Nigeria for more than 20 years. Abductions occur time and again, particularly of minors.
The most well-known case was the abduction of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in April 2014 in Chibok. Dozens of the abducted girls are still missing today.
