A new Amnesty International report accuses Nigerian soldiers and self-defense forces of raping women rescued from the Boko Haram extremist group.

The report released Thursday alleges that thousands of women and girls were separated from their families in camps in northeastern Nigeria and abused. The report says some were raped in exchange for food and others were beaten and called "Boko Haram wives."

The report based on more than 250 interviews says the alleged abuses occurred as Nigeria's military pushed to reclaim territory from Boko Haram starting in 2015.

Nigeria's government in a statement dismisses the Amnesty report as "short on credibility."

Boko Haram continues to carry out deadly attacks despite repeated claims by Nigerian officials that its insurgency has been crushed. Millions of people have been displaced.