US Deploys Aircrafts To Help Locate Nigerian Girls

The types of aircraft deployed have not been revealed, but reports say they have sophisticated planes that can listen into a wide range of mobile phone and telecommunications traffic.

The US is also sharing commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerian government, officials said.

A team of about 30 US experts made up of FBI and defense and state departments are also in Nigeria to help in the search.

The move by the US comes after the militants released a video of about 130 girls saying they will only release the abducted girls with imprisoned militants

"I swear to almighty Allah, you will not see them again until you release our brothers that you have captured," Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said.

US State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday that intelligence experts were closely examining the Boko Haram video for clues that might help locate the girls.

Pogu Bitrus, a leader in the town of Chibok, from where the girls were seized, said vegetation in the video resembled that in the nearby Sambisa forest reserve.

The video showed some 130 girls wearing bulky hijabs.

Militants said the children had converted to Islam.

The girls' families have said that most of those seized are christians.

Two girls on the video were singled out for questioning and said they were christians but had converted to Islam.

Both the UK and US have already send teams helping on the ground in Nigeria and an Israeli counter-terrorism team is also on its way.

By Beth Nyaga

Source: BBC News