LAGOS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops rescued 241 people held hostage by terror group Boko Haram in the restive northeastern state of Borno in a recent operation, the defense headquarters said on Thursday.
The hostages included 105 women and 136 children, and they were rescued at Mudu town during a clearance operation by the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole on Sunday, said John Enenche, a spokesman for the defense headquarters, adding the rescued persons are currently under medical observation.
Enenche said the troops also killed 12 Boko Haram terrorists in the operation with no loss of life or equipment from the troops.
Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, extending its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin, posing enormous security, humanitarian and governance challenges to countries including Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Niger. Enditem
