The Pentagon has announced the American effort to rescue the roughly 250 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram will include members of the United States military.
Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters Wednesday that roughly ten members of the U.S. Africa Command will be part of the team aiding the Nigerian government in finding the missing schoolgirls, who were taken by force from the village of Chibok on April 14:
“The Defense Department stands firmly with the people of Nigeria in their efforts to bring the terrorist violence perpetrated by Boko Haram to an end while ensuring civilian protection and respect for human rights.”
Warren said there are no plans for "broader military operations" in Nigeria. But The Christian Science Monitor reports several members of Congress are calling for increased military intervention to rescue the girls. Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) wrote a letter to President Obama, urging him to OK sending high-tech military support to aid in the search:
"[T]he United States should act as quickly as possible to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support to contribute to the search for the missing girls. American support with aerial and satellite surveillance, similar to what your administration has provided to assist the hunt for Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army in central Africa, could make a significant difference in their ability to liberate the captives."
The Pentagon expects the U.S. rescue team, including members of the U.S. Africa Command, to arrive at the U.S. embassy in Nigeria's capital of Abuja in a matter of days.
