At least 72 hostages held by extremist group Boko Haram* have been rescued by the Nigerian army.
According to military sources, the majority of those were women and children. They were rescued as a result of a series of military operations conducted since May 4 in the northeastern state of Borno.
At least 18 Boko Haram members were killed, and their equipment was also captured.
Boko Haram*, the radical Islamist group, operates in Nigeria and a number of neighboring countries. The group is behind most of the attacks regularly carried out in response to the military campaign against it, which is also carried out by Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
* Terrorist organization banned in Russia.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Ben Curtis / AP / TASS