US committed to bringing home girls abducted 6 months ago in Nigeria

Six months ago today, approximately 270 girls were abducted in the middle of the night from their school in northeast Nigeria, where they were learning the skills they need to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities, White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice said on Tuesday. "The United States has made clear our commitment to supporting Nigeria's efforts to bring the girls home safely," Rice said in a statement released by the White House. "Since then, we have aided in the investigations, including by deploying personnel on the ground, facilitated strategic communications and provided assistance to the families. These efforts are part of our broader support to Nigeria's pursuit of a holistic counterterrorism strategy, which includes the rule of law and strengthened security institutions." The United States will continue to work toward the release of all the girls who remain in captivity, Rice said, "even as we celebrate the freedom of the few who have managed to escape Boko Haram's clutches. And we will stand with girls everywhere who seek to achieve their full potential through education and to claim the universal rights and fundamental freedoms that are their birthright." In a separate statement released by the White House, it was noted that Boko Haram this year has abducted hundreds of men, women, girls and boys, and killed 3,000 people in Nigeria. President Barack Obama has directed that the U.S. government do everything it can to help the Nigerian government find and free the abducted girls and, more broadly, to combat Boko Haram in partnership with Nigeria, its neighbors and other allies, the statement said.
"This support takes many forms but the goal is singular: to dismantle this murderous group," the White House said. "The United States is assisting the Nigerian government to undertake more concerted, effective and responsible actions to ensure the safe return of those kidnapped by Boko Haram, including through on-the-ground technical assistance and expanded intelligence sharing," the statement said.