A Nigerian military airstrike on a village market in the country’s northeast has killed at least 200 people. The tragedy occurred in a village on the border of Yobe and Borno states in the Gili region. In this area, the Nigerian Air Force carried out an operation against Islamist groups.
According to preliminary data, the army attacked Boko Haram militants*, but the bombs hit a crowded shopping area.
Local authorities and residents confirmed the impact and reported heavy casualties. More than 200 people were killed, Vusimiram Lawan Zana Nur Gedam, a local council member and traditional leader of the area, told Reuters. This information was also confirmed by three other local residents and a representative of an international humanitarian organization.
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency said it had received preliminary information about the incident and the casualties among the traders. The statement stated that in response to reports of civilian casualties, the Nigerian Air Force announced the formation of a special committee to investigate the incident and immediately send its representatives to clarify all the circumstances of the incident. Publications.
In February, an armed attack on a village in Nigeria’s Zamfara state killed at least 50 people. The gunmen also kidnapped a number of women and children from the village.
* A group that has pledged allegiance to ISIS, a terrorist organization banned in Russia.