A video of about 130 of the girls kidnapped from a Nigerian school last month was released today by Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The clip, which was first obtained by AFP, shows Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau brandishing an automatic rifle and calling for the release of his imprisoned comrades in exchange for the girls. "We will never release them until our brethren are released," he says, suggesting he would be open to a deal for the girls' release.
The 17-minute video also included a portion where the girls are seen in an outdoor area chanting verses from the Koran in unison. Shekau claimed the teenagers had converted to Islam and had not been harmed.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
