US 'Will Make Every Effort' to Find Nigerian Girls, Kerry Vows

Secretary of State John Kerry, right, answers a question as Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini listens during a press conference following their bilateral meeting at the State Department in Washington on May 13, 2014. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

Secretary of State John Kerry said today the United States "will make every effort" to locate and free the schoolgirls captured by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Kerry also mentioned the new video showing some of the girls - though he refrained from expressing hope over it.

"There was recent evidence demonstrating that at least a certain group of them were together at one place, at a certain period of time. We don't know exactly when. What I can guarantee you is we will make every effort possible in order to help free these young women," he said at a press availability with Italian foreign minister Federica Mogherini.

He was also asked about the resignation of Syria special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, and whether anyone else in Brahimi's job could achieve a peace deal with the Assad regime.

"Mr. Brahimi did not fail," Kerry said, adding it would be a mistake to blame a stalemate in a peacemaking endeavor on one envoy.

And asked about Saudi Arabia's indication that it was open to peace talks with regional rival Iran, the Secretary of State said the United States had nothing to do with the invitation but was "delighted to see our good friends the Saudis engage in diplomacy that may or may not be able to have any number of possibilities in the region."