This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/world/africa/boko-haram-nigeria.html
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Boko Haram Releases 21 Girls Kidnapped From School in Chibok, Nigeria Says | Boko Haram Releases 21 Girls Kidnapped From School in Chibok, Nigeria Says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LAGOS, Nigeria — Two and a half years after nearly 300 girls were kidnapped from a school in northeastern Nigeria, the government announced on Thursday that 21 of them had been freed. | LAGOS, Nigeria — Two and a half years after nearly 300 girls were kidnapped from a school in northeastern Nigeria, the government announced on Thursday that 21 of them had been freed. |
| The news was announced by Garba Shehu, the spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari. | The news was announced by Garba Shehu, the spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari. |
| “The release of the girls, in a limited number, is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the Boko Haram, brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government,” Mr. Shehu said in a series of posts on Twitter. “The negotiations will continue. The president welcomes the release of the girls but cautioned Nigerians to be mindful of the fact that more than 30,000 fellow citizens were killed via terrorism.” | “The release of the girls, in a limited number, is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the Boko Haram, brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government,” Mr. Shehu said in a series of posts on Twitter. “The negotiations will continue. The president welcomes the release of the girls but cautioned Nigerians to be mindful of the fact that more than 30,000 fellow citizens were killed via terrorism.” |
| Mr. Shehu said the names of the released girls would be made public shortly and that Lawal Daura, the director general of the State Security Service, had briefed the president before his departure to Germany for an official visit. | Mr. Shehu said the names of the released girls would be made public shortly and that Lawal Daura, the director general of the State Security Service, had briefed the president before his departure to Germany for an official visit. |
| Nigerian officials revealed last month that they had been negotiating with the Islamist militant group to gain the release of the girls taken from a school in the town of Chibok on April 14, 2014. | Nigerian officials revealed last month that they had been negotiating with the Islamist militant group to gain the release of the girls taken from a school in the town of Chibok on April 14, 2014. |
| The talks began shortly after Mr. Buhari took office in November. The negotiations were derailed three times and were complicated by divisions inside Boko Haram. | The talks began shortly after Mr. Buhari took office in November. The negotiations were derailed three times and were complicated by divisions inside Boko Haram. |
| In one instance, negotiations broke down at the last minute, even after the president agreed to free imprisoned Boko Haram fighters, according to a government statement. Talks failed on another occasion because members of Boko Haram’s negotiating team had been killed. | In one instance, negotiations broke down at the last minute, even after the president agreed to free imprisoned Boko Haram fighters, according to a government statement. Talks failed on another occasion because members of Boko Haram’s negotiating team had been killed. |
| The abductions, during exam time at their boarding school, shocked the world and increased pressure on the government to fight Boko Haram, which has terrorized parts of northern Nigeria for years by burning entire villages and carrying out rapes, beheadings, lootings and other acts of violence. | The abductions, during exam time at their boarding school, shocked the world and increased pressure on the government to fight Boko Haram, which has terrorized parts of northern Nigeria for years by burning entire villages and carrying out rapes, beheadings, lootings and other acts of violence. |
| Some girls managed to escape shortly after the fighters stormed their school and hauled away their classmates. In May, the authorities announced that one girl, Amina Ali, had been found. She was wandering in the forest when members of a vigilante group came across her as they prepared to ambush a Boko Haram camp. | |
| The girls are thought to be held by a faction controlled by the Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, rather than a newer faction that has been endorsed by the Islamic State and that is led by a militant, Abu Musab al-Barnawi. | The girls are thought to be held by a faction controlled by the Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, rather than a newer faction that has been endorsed by the Islamic State and that is led by a militant, Abu Musab al-Barnawi. |
| The latter faction split from Mr. Shekau’s group after an ideological dispute over killings that targeted Muslims. | The latter faction split from Mr. Shekau’s group after an ideological dispute over killings that targeted Muslims. |
| Western intelligence officials have said recently they believe the girls are scattered in small groups, making their rescue all the more difficult. | Western intelligence officials have said recently they believe the girls are scattered in small groups, making their rescue all the more difficult. |
| Mr. Buhari has been criticized by relatives of the girls, among other critics, and he has also been faulted for failing to free the captives despite an offensive against Boko Haram that has killed numerous militants and forced others into hiding. | Mr. Buhari has been criticized by relatives of the girls, among other critics, and he has also been faulted for failing to free the captives despite an offensive against Boko Haram that has killed numerous militants and forced others into hiding. |
| The government’s decision to describe the attempts to rescue the girls appeared to be intended to quell criticism of its efforts on their behalf. | The government’s decision to describe the attempts to rescue the girls appeared to be intended to quell criticism of its efforts on their behalf. |
| Mr. Buhari had recently said he would be open to calling on nongovernmental organizations as intermediaries in negotiating with Boko Haram. Western intelligence officials suspect the government may have been negotiating with impostors. | Mr. Buhari had recently said he would be open to calling on nongovernmental organizations as intermediaries in negotiating with Boko Haram. Western intelligence officials suspect the government may have been negotiating with impostors. |