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US deploys surveillance aircraft to hunt for Nigerian schoolgirls US deploys surveillance aircraft to hunt for Nigerian schoolgirls
(35 minutes later)
The United States has deployed manned surveillance aircraft over Nigeria and is sharing satellite imagery with the Nigerian government to find more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist insurgents, a senior Obama administration official said on Monday.The United States has deployed manned surveillance aircraft over Nigeria and is sharing satellite imagery with the Nigerian government to find more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist insurgents, a senior Obama administration official said on Monday.
"We have shared commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerians and are flying manned ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) assets over Nigeria with the government's permission," the official said."We have shared commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerians and are flying manned ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) assets over Nigeria with the government's permission," the official said.
The US has sent military, law-enforcement and development experts to Nigeria to help search for the missing girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants from a secondary school in Chibok in remote northeastern Nigeria on April 14.The US has sent military, law-enforcement and development experts to Nigeria to help search for the missing girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants from a secondary school in Chibok in remote northeastern Nigeria on April 14.
"We are providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support," state sdepartment spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a news briefing on Monday. Some of the 276 Nigerian girls snatched from their school under cover of darkness appeared to re-emerge in a propaganda video shot by Boko Haram released on Monday.
The 27-minute video showed around 130 of the girls wearing grey and black veils. Two of them speak of their conversion from Christianity to Islam.
It also shows Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau offering to let the girls go if the Nigerian government releases his fighters from prison.
State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a news briefing on Monday: "We are providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support."
She said US teams on the ground "are digging in on the search and coordinating closely with the Nigerian government as well as international partners and allies".She said US teams on the ground "are digging in on the search and coordinating closely with the Nigerian government as well as international partners and allies".
Last week, US undersecretary for Africa Linda Thomas-Greenfield told Reuters in an interview that Nigeria had requested surveillance and intelligence from the United States.Last week, US undersecretary for Africa Linda Thomas-Greenfield told Reuters in an interview that Nigeria had requested surveillance and intelligence from the United States.
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has said he believes the girls are still in Nigeria. The leader of Boko Haram has offered to release them in exchange for members of its group being detained, according to a video posted on YouTube on Monday.Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has said he believes the girls are still in Nigeria. The leader of Boko Haram has offered to release them in exchange for members of its group being detained, according to a video posted on YouTube on Monday.