Nigeria's largest rescue operation frees 308 hostages held by militants in Kwara State

Victims held for six months successful captivity astatine the hands of jihadi kidnappers successful Nigeria elaborate connected Friday the harrowing conditions they were kept successful aft being liberated successful what Nigerian officials are calling the largest rescue cognition successful the country's history.

Nigerian forces rescued astatine slightest 308 victims from captivity successful the past week, with the bulk of the victims coming from 2 chiseled groups. 163 of the victims were taken from the Woro assemblage successful Nigeria's Kwara State successful a Feb. 3 raid that saw their jihadi kidnappers termination an further 160 radical successful the Woro village.

The victims told the Associated Press that they believed they had been taken arsenic punishment for refusing to judge and acquiesce to the spiritual preachings of the jihadis.

One woman, Hauwa Saliu, told the outlet that her captors perpetually asked the victims if they had accepted jihad yet.

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Hauwa Saliu, a pistillate who is among those rescued by Nigerian forces this week, astir six months aft being abducted by militants successful February, speaks to writer arsenic she receives aesculapian attraction astatine a infirmary successful Ilorin, Nigeria, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abubakar Khadijat)

"We prayed to God to assistance america spell backmost home, but it ne'er truly crossed our minds that we were going to spell backmost home," she told the outlet.

Another victim, Amira Saliu, described the conditions successful which the women and children were being kept, explaining that they were held successful a wood adjacent a river, and forced to enactment retired fires and fell erstwhile they heard helicopters nearby.

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Saliu, a nurse, besides explained however she had to assistance 10 women springiness commencement with nary aesculapian instrumentality oregon sanitary gloves.

"I had nary prime but to usage my bare hands," she told the outlet.

Women who were rescued aft being held successful a wood aft they were abducted from the Woro assemblage by gunmen successful February person aesculapian attraction astatine a infirmary successful Ilorin, Nigeria, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abubakar Khadijat)

Mary Ishaya, 44, told the outlet that the captives often went days without nutrient and had to hide different captives who had died.

"I inactive cannot find the close words to picture what has happened to us. We saw decease and suffering," she said.

A pistillate who was rescued aft being held successful a wood aft being abducted from the Woro assemblage by gunmen successful February receives aesculapian attraction astatine a infirmary successful Ilorin, Nigeria, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abubakar Khadijat)

The politician of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, told reporters during a quality league that 46 victims were being treated astatine a hospital.

"This is indeed, so a precise bittersweet situation. We've not yet travel to presumption with it. We're inactive assessing the situation. As you tin see, it's conscionable kids ... children and women that are present today," helium said. "It's genuinely a shame that this has happened."

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The incidental highlights the ongoing tensions betwixt Nigeria's militant Islamic insurgency successful the northbound and the country's ample Christian population, who marque up astir 45% of Nigeria's citizens.

On Christmas Day, President Donald Trump, successful coordination with Nigeria's government, authorized precision rocket strikes connected Islamic State-affiliated groups successful bluish Nigeria, citing the request to support the country's Christians.

US launches onslaught against ISIS successful Nigeria. (Department of War via X)

The U.S. followed up successful May, launching coordinated associated subject enactment that reportedly resulted successful the decease of elder Islamic State person Abu Bakr al-Mainuk.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.