Boko Haram releases new video of alleged Chibok girls

Boko Haram on Sunday released a video of the girls allegedly kidnapped from Chibok in April 2014, showing some who are still alive and claiming others died in air strikes.

The video is the latest release from embattled Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, who earlier this month denied claims that he had been replaced as the leader of the jihadist group.

“They should know that their children are still in our hands,” said a man whose face was covered by a turban in the video posted on YouTube.

“There is a number of the girls, about 40 of them, that have been married by the decision of Allah,” said the man in the 11-minute video, which shows girls with veils sitting on the ground and standing in the background.

“Some of them have died as a result of aerial bombardment.”

In the 11 minutes 25 seconds, one of the girls had a baby boy with her.

Ahmad Salkida, a Nigerian journalist who has a connection with Boko Haram confirmed the release of the video. Salkida said the video was sent to him ‘exclusively’ before the girl’s abductors uploaded it on Youtube.

“Jama‘atu Ahlil Sunnah Li-Da‘awati Wal-Jihad #BH has released a video showing the abducted #Chibokgirls and restating their demands,” Salkida  tweeted late on Saturday night.

“This is the second time Shekau has ordered a video of the girls to be released to the public, since the abduction of the girls 852 days ago.”

Just In: Jama‘atu Ahlil Sunnah Li-Da‘awati Wal-Jihad #BH has released a video showing the abducted #Chibokgirls and restating their demands.

— Ahmad Salkida (@ContactSalkida) August 13, 2016

This is the second time Shekau has ordered a video of the girls to be released to the public, since the abduction of the girls 852 days ago.

— Ahmad Salkida (@ContactSalkida) August 13, 2016

I’m studying the video of the #Chibokgirls that was sent exclusively to me before their abductors upload on it YouTube later. @BBOG_Nigeria

— Ahmad Salkida (@ContactSalkida) August 13, 2016

The mass kidnapping of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in April 2014 provoked global outrage and brought unprecedented attention on the Boko Haram conflict, in which at least 20,000 people have been killed since 2009.

Throughout 2015, the Nigerian military announced the rescue of hundreds of people, most of them women and children, who have been kidnapped by Boko Haram.

But the missing schoolgirls were not among them, despite several unconfirmed sightings.