Nigeria: troops rescue 178 people, destroy extremist camps

FILE- In this Thursday, July. 31, 2015 file photo, women and children rescued by Nigerian soldiers from Boko Haram extremists in the northeast of Nigeria arrive at the military office in Maiduguri. Nigerian troops rescued 178 people from Boko Haram in attacks that destroyed several camps of the Islamic extremists in the northeast of the country, an army statement said Sunday, Aug. 2. Spokesman Col. Tukur Gusau said that 101 of those freed are children, along with 67 women and 10 men. (AP Photo/Jossy Ola file) FILE- In this Thursday, July. 31, 2015 file photo, women and children rescued by Nigerian soldiers from Boko Haram extremists in the northeast of Nigeria arrive at the military office in Maiduguri. Nigerian troops rescued 178 people from Boko Haram in attacks that destroyed several camps of the Islamic extremists in the northeast of the country, an army statement said Sunday, Aug. 2. Spokesman Col. Tukur Gusau said that 101 of those freed are children, along with 67 women and 10 men. (AP Photo/Jossy Ola file)

By Associated Press August 2, 2015 2 min read

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) – Nigerian troops rescued 178 people from Boko Haram in attacks that destroyed several camps of the Islamic extremists in the northeast of the country, an army statement said Sunday.

Spokesman Col. Tukur Gusau said that 101 of those freed are children, along with 67 women and 10 men.

The Nigerian Air Force reported killing “a large number” of militants in repelling an attack on Bitta village, 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the army operations that took place around Bama, 70 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of Maiduguri city. Maiduguri is the birthplace of Boko Haram and the capital of northeastern Borno state.

Sunday’s statements did not specify when the attacks occurred.

Last week the army rescued 71 kidnapped people.