STORY: :: Nigerian Army

Nigeria's military said Sunday it had rescued 360 men, women and children who had been kidnapped following an intelligence operation. 

It said the hostages were held in a hideout deep in the Mandara mountains in the northeast Borno state... 

And that two children held captive died due to exhaustion and the impact of the harsh environment. 

The abductees were captured from various communities in the area over an unspecified period. 

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The abductors were a group known as JAS, the military said, which is the official Arabic name of the main faction of Islamic militants Boko Haram.

The West African nation's government has struggled for years to tackle unrest. 

It has ranged from herder-farmer conflicts across its centre to kidnapping gangs, Islamist militants and community defence militia that operate across northern states.

These countrywide conflicts and the ever-expanding presence of armed groups are likely to be key issues in the run-up to a presidential election in January.