U.S. deploys troops to Chad to aid search for kidnapped Nigerian girls

The United States has deployed 80 military personnel to Chad to help in the search for the nearly 300 girls kidnapped by the armed group Boko Haram in neighboring Nigeria. 

President Barack Obama confirmed in a statement to lawmakers Wednesday that service members will help with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria. He said the force would stay in Chad until its support is no longer necessary.

The troops mark a significant boost to an existing U.S. military effort, which includes the use of surveillance drones as well as manned aircraft over Nigeria.

U.S. intelligence officials are currently stationed in Nigeria's capital Abuja to assist the government in the search.

The team of around 30 people from the CIA, the State Department, the military, and the FBI are working on a number of leads, it is believed.

Chad shares a portion of its western border with northeastern Nigeria. The girls and young women, all from a school in northern Nigeria, were kidnapped on April 14 in the northeastern town of Chibok.

Dozens escaped, but the group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, has threatened on video to sell most of the remaining 276 schoolgirls into slavery if the government does not release detained fighters.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration came under intense criticism for its initial response to the kidnappings. Since then, the international community has pledged its assistance.

Meanwhile, violence has continued, with attacks on villages attributed to Boko Haram leaving scores dead. Twin blasts in the city of Jos killing at least 122 people on Tuesday and hours later, 17 people were killed in the northern village of Alagarno.

Al Jazeera and wire services