The U.S. is sending a team of officials to help aid the Nigerian government in locating and recovering more than 200 schoolgirls who were kidnapped, Time reports.
The Obama administration is prepping to send a team of military, law-enforcement and hostage negotiators to the country. The girls were captured by the Islamic militant group Boko Haram, who have threatened to sell them.
According to the report, Secretary of State John Kerry has been in talks with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.
"[The team] could provide expertise on intelligence, investigations and hostage negotiations, help facilitate information sharing and provide victim assistance. It would include U.S. military personnel, law enforcement officials with expertise in investigations and hostage negotiations, as well as officials with expertise in other areas that may be helpful to the Nigerian government in its response," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, according to Time.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has stressed that the U.S. military's involvement is advisory only. "We are not considering at this point military resources," Carney said, adding that the president and Kerry will also discuss the effort to find the girls at a meeting Tuesday afternoon. "What I can tell you is that it is certainly Nigeria's responsibility to maintain the safety and security of its citizens."
Read more at Time.