{{US surveillance aircraft have joined the hunt for more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist insurgents in Nigeria.}}
Washington has sent military, law-enforcement and development experts to Nigeria to help search for the missing girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants from a secondary school in Chibok in remote northeastern Nigeria on April 14.
Nigeria has deployed two army divisions while Britain, Israel and France, have also offered help or sent experts.
“We have shared commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerians and are flying manned ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) assets over Nigeria with the government’s permission,” a US official said.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a news briefing on Monday that the U.S. was providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support. She said U.S. teams on the ground “are digging in on the search and coordinating closely with the Nigerian government as well as international partners and allies.”
Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was also considering deploying unmanned, drone aircraft to aid the search.
Boko Haram posted a video on YouTube yesterday offering to release the girls in exchange for prisoners held by the government.
About 100 girls wearing full veils and praying are shown in an undisclosed location in a part of the 17-minute video in which Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau speaks.
Boko Haram militants, who are fighting for an Islamist state, stormed a secondary school in the northeastern village of Chibok on April 14 and seized 276 girls who were taking exams. Some have managed to escape, but about 200 remain missing.
A government official said “all options” were being considered to secure the girls’ release.
In a 1.25-minute segment of the YouTube video, scores of girls in black and grey veils sit on the ground, chant and sing. Shekau, wearing military fatigues and holding an AK-47, then addresses the camera. He appears confident and at one point even laughs.
“All I am saying is that if you want us to release the girls that we have kidnapped, those who have not accepted Islam will be treated as the Prophet (Mohammad) treated infidels and they will stay with us,” he said, according to a translation of his words originally spoken in a Nigerian language.
“We will not release them while you detain our brothers,” he said, before naming a series of Nigerian cities. It was not clear if he was in the same location as the girls, although the release of the video appeared to signal a willingness on his part to negotiate.
Mike Omeri, a senior Ministry of Information official, told a news conference the government had seen the video.
“The government of Nigeria is considering all options towards freeing the girls and reuniting them with their parents,” he said.
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