Nigeria's army has rescued 200 girls and 93 women during a military operation to wrest back the Sambisa Forest from the Boko Haram Islamist militant group.

"Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa Forest. We cannot confirm if the Chibok girls are in this group," it said, adding that Nigerian troops had also destroyed three camps run by the militants.

Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls near the northern village of Chibok in April 2014, sparking international outcry. 

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