A masked, camouflaged fighter who appeared in the 11½-minute video said many of the schoolgirls had died in the strikes, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant jihadist groups. The unidentified fighter also demanded the release of imprisoned militants in exchange for the release of the girls.
The strikes are part of a broader offensive by the Nigerian military to rid the region of Boko Haram.
The abduction of more than 250 schoolgirls from Chibok, a small village in northeastern Nigeria, more than two years ago set off global outrage and a social media campaign using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls that got the attention of Michelle Obama. Hundreds of other girls and boys have also been kidnapped and murdered by the group.
There was no immediate comment from the government or the military about the video, although President Muhammadu Buhari said last year that he was open to negotiating with the group.
A spokesman for the Bring Back Our Girls campaign said the video appeared to be legitimate, noting that families of those kidnapped had recognized eight of the girls who appeared in the clip.
“We are still reaching out to some parents to see if any can recognize more,” said Jeff Okoroafor, the spokesman for the group, which regularly holds rallies in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, to demand that the government find and rescue the girls.
The video is among a handful that Boko Haram has posted online in recent days, as the militant group appears to have split into two factions, apparently over the killing of other Muslims and whether fellow believers should be spared.
The group has targeted mosques and markets with suicide bombers, some of whom are young girls and boys. Hundreds of Muslims have been killed.
Boko Haram pledged support to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, last year, and two primary factions have emerged. One faction has been recognized by the Islamic State, which broadcast an interview with a new “governor” of the group, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, in its online publication.
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