Photo: EPA
Nigerian military aviation mistakenly struck a market while targeting militants from Boko Haram, killing at least 200 people.
The tragedy occurred in northeastern Nigeria, in Yobe State, near the border with Borno State — a region long affected by a jihadist insurgency.
According to local officials and witnesses cited by Reuters, the airstrike hit a rural market in the village of Jilli on Saturday evening, when Nigerian Air Force operations were underway against suspected militants.
A local official reported that more than 200 people were killed, with many others injured and taken to hospitals across the region.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed strikes against Boko Haram targets in the area but did not mention the market attack or civilian casualties in its official statement. Authorities have also not provided a direct response to reports of the incident.
Emergency services in Yobe State acknowledged receiving information about a deadly “market incident” and deployed response teams.
The attack highlights ongoing concerns about civilian harm during counterterrorism operations in northeastern Nigeria, where the conflict with Boko Haram and its splinter group ISWAP has lasted since 2009, killing hundreds of thousands and displacing millions, according to the United Nations.
