The rescued hostages, most of them women and children, were freed during a military offensive against ISWAP strongholds in Borno State and are now receiving medical care….reports Africa Daily News Desk
Nigerian troops have rescued at least 47 hostages, most of them women and children, from captivity during an operation against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the country’s northeastern Borno State, the military announced.
The rescue took place during sustained operations in Kangarwa, a town regarded as an ISWAP stronghold in Kukawa Local Government Area, as security forces intensified their offensive against militant bases around the Lake Chad region.
In a statement, the military said the operation involved coordinated ground and air assaults that forced ISWAP fighters to abandon their positions, allowing the captives to escape after prolonged detention. The statement did not specify the exact date of the rescue mission.
All those rescued have been moved to a secure location, where they are receiving medical attention. Authorities are also making arrangements to provide humanitarian assistance and reunite the victims with their families.
The operation forms part of Nigeria’s broader campaign to dismantle militant networks operating in the northeast, where Boko Haram and its splinter group ISWAP have waged a deadly insurgency for more than a decade.
Last month, Nigerian security forces said they had eliminated more than 175 ISIS affiliated militants during a series of military operations targeting terrorist infrastructure.
According to Nigerian army spokesman Samaila Uba, the coordinated strikes destroyed checkpoints, weapons depots, logistics centres, military equipment and financial network headquarters used to sustain terrorist activities.
The insurgency, which began in 2009 under Boko Haram before ISWAP emerged as a breakaway faction, has claimed more than 40,000 lives and displaced over two million people across northeastern Nigeria, according to United Nations estimates.
Nigeria has also expanded military cooperation with the United States in recent months to combat extremist groups operating in the region.
Speaking at a congressional hearing in Washington, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, praised Nigerian security forces for their role in recent counterterrorism operations.
“The Nigerians have played a crucial role over the past few months. They identified the target, helped us gather intelligence, and provided the support necessary to complete this mission,” Anderson said.
On May 15, US President Donald Trump announced that a senior ISIS leader had been killed in a joint operation involving American and Nigerian forces.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The latest hostage rescue underscores Nigeria’s continuing efforts to weaken militant groups and restore security in the conflict affected northeast, where military operations against insurgent strongholds remain ongoing.
