Freed women and children who had been abducted in Burkina Faso

66 women and children who were abducted by armed rebels in northern Burkina Faso last week have been freed by security forces.

The women and their children were abducted on January 12 and 13 outside of two villages in the Arbinda area of the Soum province in the Sahel.

According to the national broadcaster Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina (RTP), security forces carried out a rescue operation in the nearby Centre-Nord region and released 27 mothers, 39 infants, children, and young girls.

An RTP anchor stated, "They have gained freedom after eight arduous days in the hands of their kidnappers."

Images of the ladies who had been let free and brought to the capital, Ouagadougou, were included on RTB's major evening newscast, which made reference to the army's "operation."

The revelation was corroborated by a number of government and security officials, according to Reuters and AFP.

The kidnapping raised anxiety at the UN, and the military government of the nation issued a warning about an increase in attacks on people.

One of the West African nations dealing with a raging armed insurgency with ties to al-Qaeda and ISIL is Burkina Faso (ISIS).

In the country's dry and primarily rural north, armed rebels have taken control, killing hundreds of civilians and displacing thousands more.

Additionally, they have recently blockaded other areas, making it riskier to transport supplies to trapped civilians.

Many locals have turned to foraging for wild fruit, leaves, and seeds to feed their family as a result of severe food shortages. They assert that going into the bush leaves them open to attack.

At least 18 individuals were slain on Thursday in two alleged attacks in the north and northwest of the nation, including 16 pro-army vigilantes.

The head of the military government that seized control in September, Captain Ibrahim Traore, declared in December that his goal was to retake territory that had been taken by "hordes of terrorists."

He claimed last week that the armed rebels were changing their strategy to "concentrate on people."