At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that lured girls and women into India's sex trade using the social media platform TikTok, Dhaka police said Tuesday.

The gang's alleged ringleader Rafizul Islam Ridoy -- nicknamed "TikTok Ridoy" -- would "lure young girls from TikTok and other social media groups, promising to make them TikTok models", Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) paramilitary unit said.

But the victims were instead smuggled into southern India and forced into sex work, according to a RAB statement.

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The arrests came after video footage of an alleged sexual assault of a Bangladeshi woman went viral on social media in late May, prompting an investigation into the gang, the RAB said.

The suspects were all detained over the last week.

The latest arrests came on Monday when two men were held in a southwestern border district in Bangladesh for allegedly trafficking girls and women aged between 17 to 22, Dhaka police's deputy commissioner Mohammad Shahidullah said.

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"One of them has told us that he has sent 1,000 people to India," Shahidullah told AFP.

A total of nine people were arrested in Bangladesh and two others in India's tech hub Bangalore for allegedly being part of the trafficking gang, police added.

Bangalore city police commissioner Kamal Pant told AFP Tuesday that four other people were also arrested and accused of rape or abetting the alleged sexual assault shown in the video.

An additional person arrested late Tuesday had yet to be questioned, he added.

All were Bangladesh nationals, police in both countries said.

Ridoy was one of those in the custody of Bangalore authorities, Dhaka police added.

Shahidullah said that since 2019 when TikTok became popular in Bangladesh, such gangs had sprung up to draw in teenagers from low-income families.

They would be invited to pool parties, star in TikTok videos and "sold dreams of well-paid salaries in call centres, sales and service centres", he added.

At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that lured girls and women into India's sex trade using the social media platform TikTok, Dhaka police said Tuesday.

At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that lured girls and women into India's sex trade using the social media platform TikTok, Dhaka police said Tuesday. The gang's alleged ringleader Rafizul Islam Ridoy -- nicknamed "TikTok Ridoy" -- would "lure young girls from TikTok and other social media groups, promising to make them TikTok models", Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) paramilitary unit said. But the victims were instead smuggled into southern India and forced into sex work, according to a RAB statement. Also read | How a Malaysian teenager's fight against rape culture in schools caused national backlash The arrests came after video footage of an alleged sexual assault of a Bangladeshi woman went viral on social media in late May, prompting an investigation into the gang, the RAB said. The suspects were all detained over the last week. The latest arrests came on Monday when two men were held in a southwestern border district in Bangladesh for allegedly trafficking girls and women aged between 17 to 22, Dhaka police's deputy commissioner Mohammad Shahidullah said. Also read | UK: Woman accuses spy of rape by tricking her into relationship "One of them has told us that he has sent 1,000 people to India," Shahidullah told AFP. A total of nine people were arrested in Bangladesh and two others in India's tech hub Bangalore for allegedly being part of the trafficking gang, police added. Bangalore city police commissioner Kamal Pant told AFP Tuesday that four other people were also arrested and accused of rape or abetting the alleged sexual assault shown in the video. An additional person arrested late Tuesday had yet to be questioned, he added. All were Bangladesh nationals, police in both countries said. Ridoy was one of those in the custody of Bangalore authorities, Dhaka police added. Shahidullah said that since 2019 when TikTok became popular in Bangladesh, such gangs had sprung up to draw in teenagers from low-income families. They would be invited to pool parties, star in TikTok videos and "sold dreams of well-paid salaries in call centres, sales and service centres", he added.

Bangladesh trafficking gang lured girls using TikTok: Police

Gunmen attacked a school in northwestern Nigeria and kidnapped 39 students, authorities said Friday. Several school staff were also kidnapped.

The kidnapping took place late Thursday night at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, in the Igabi local government area of Kaduna state. The incident comes just weeks after a similar mass abduction in the region.

"The number of missing students is now confirmed to be 39, comprising 23 females and 16 males," Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a statement.

The attack was reportedly carried out by a large group of "armed bandits."&nbsp;

Aruwan said the military engaged the attackers and were able to take 180 staff and students to safety.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, has strongly condemned the abduction and called for the immediate and unconditional release of those students that remain in captivity.

Nigerian authorities also said that "bandits" were behind the earlier abduction of 279 schoolgirls late last month in the region. Those girls were later freed following negotiations with the government.

The Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is also known to kidnap young women and force them into marriage, most notably in the 2014 attack on the Chibok secondary school in Borno state.&nbsp;

Of the 276 girls taken, more than 100 are still missing nearly seven years later.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

Gunmen attacked a school in northwestern Nigeria and kidnapped 39 students, authorities said Friday. Several school staff were also kidnapped. The kidnapping took place late Thursday night at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, in the Igabi local government area of Kaduna state.

Gunmen attacked a school in northwestern Nigeria and kidnapped 39 students, authorities said Friday. Several school staff were also kidnapped. The kidnapping took place late Thursday night at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, in the Igabi local government area of Kaduna state. The incident comes just weeks after a similar mass abduction in the region. "The number of missing students is now confirmed to be 39, comprising 23 females and 16 males," Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a statement. The attack was reportedly carried out by a large group of "armed bandits." Aruwan said the military engaged the attackers and were able to take 180 staff and students to safety. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, has strongly condemned the abduction and called for the immediate and unconditional release of those students that remain in captivity. Nigerian authorities also said that "bandits" were behind the earlier abduction of 279 schoolgirls late last month in the region. Those girls were later freed following negotiations with the government. The Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is also known to kidnap young women and force them into marriage, most notably in the 2014 attack on the Chibok secondary school in Borno state. Of the 276 girls taken, more than 100 are still missing nearly seven years later. (with inputs from agencies)

Gunmen abduct 39 students, including girls, from school in northwestern Nigeria

Boko Haram Islamists have abducted 22 girls and women in two separate raids in northeast Nigeria, residents and vigilantes told AFP Friday.

In the first attack on Thursday, the jihadists raided the village of Pulka near border with Cameroon where they kidnapped 18 girls.

&quot;Boko Haram fighters from Mamman Nur camp arrived in pickup vans around 6.00 am and seized 14 young girls aged 17 and below while residents fled into the bush,&quot; a Pulka community leader told AFP by phone.

&quot;They picked four other girls who were fleeing the raid they came across in the bush outside the village,&quot; said the community leader who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals.

According to the official, the attackers were loyal to the faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf.

Barnawi was appointed last year by the Islamic State group to replace leader Abubakar Shekau, who had pledged allegiance to the Middle East jihadist group in 2015.

Another resident confirmed the raid and said the girls were likely to end up as brides for the fighters.

&quot;They didn&#39;t harm anyone during the raid and they made no attempt to shoot people running away from the village,&quot; said the resident.

In the second incident outside the village of Dumba, close to Lake Chad, the jihadists killed a herdsman who had tried to escape after refusing to pay protection money, said Adamu Ahmed, a member of an anti-Boko Haram militia.

&quot;When the Boko Haram gunmen came for the money they realised he had left with everything and they decided to go after him on their motorcycles,&quot; Ahmed said.

&quot;They caught up with him near Dumba where they slaughtered him and shot dead 50 of his cattle.

&quot;They took four women from the man`s family and the rest of the herd,&quot; he said.

The promotion of Barnawi had revealed divisions in the group, as Shekau had been criticised for mass killings and suicide attacks against civilians.

Barnawi and his right-hand man Mamman Nur, who is seen as the real leader, had promised residents in areas under their control would not be harmed as long as they did not cooperate with Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram.

But in recent weeks the Islamist fighters have intensified raids in areas near Lake Chad, stealing food from residents.

They have also killed several civilians they accused of cooperating with the military.

(AFP)

In the first attack on Thursday, the jihadists raided the village of Pulka near border with Cameroon where they kidnapped 18 girls

Boko Haram Islamists have abducted 22 girls and women in two separate raids in northeast Nigeria, residents and vigilantes told AFP Friday. In the first attack on Thursday, the jihadists raided the village of Pulka near border with Cameroon where they kidnapped 18 girls. "Boko Haram fighters from Mamman Nur camp arrived in pickup vans around 6.00 am and seized 14 young girls aged 17 and below while residents fled into the bush," a Pulka community leader told AFP by phone. "They picked four other girls who were fleeing the raid they came across in the bush outside the village," said the community leader who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals. According to the official, the attackers were loyal to the faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf. Barnawi was appointed last year by the Islamic State group to replace leader Abubakar Shekau, who had pledged allegiance to the Middle East jihadist group in 2015. Another resident confirmed the raid and said the girls were likely to end up as brides for the fighters. "They didn't harm anyone during the raid and they made no attempt to shoot people running away from the village," said the resident. In the second incident outside the village of Dumba, close to Lake Chad, the jihadists killed a herdsman who had tried to escape after refusing to pay protection money, said Adamu Ahmed, a member of an anti-Boko Haram militia. "When the Boko Haram gunmen came for the money they realised he had left with everything and they decided to go after him on their motorcycles," Ahmed said. "They caught up with him near Dumba where they slaughtered him and shot dead 50 of his cattle. "They took four women from the man`s family and the rest of the herd," he said. The promotion of Barnawi had revealed divisions in the group, as Shekau had been criticised for mass killings and suicide attacks against civilians. Barnawi and his right-hand man Mamman Nur, who is seen as the real leader, had promised residents in areas under their control would not be harmed as long as they did not cooperate with Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram. But in recent weeks the Islamist fighters have intensified raids in areas near Lake Chad, stealing food from residents. They have also killed several civilians they accused of cooperating with the military. (AFP)

Nigeria: Boko Haram kidnap 22 girls and women in two separate raids

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Bangladesh trafficking gang lured girls using TikTok: Police

Gunmen abduct 39 students, including girls, from school in northwestern Nigeria

Nigeria: Boko Haram kidnap 22 girls and women in two separate raids