Dozens killed in Nigerian military airstrikes targeting jihadists in Yobe State
via SeneNews4 min read
Dozens of people, including many civilians, were killed and injured on Saturday by military aircraft pursuing jihadists in Nigeria's Yobe State, according to residents and Amnesty International. Nigeria has faced a 17-year jihadist insurgency, initiated in 2009 by Boko Haram violence and fueled by dissident factions like the Islamic State in West Africa Province ISWAP. In the past 10 days, over 100 people have been killed in northern Nigeria by jihadists and criminal gangs known as "bandits." The number of casualties from Saturday's strikes in Jilli village varies. Amnesty International reported over 100 deaths and 35 seriously injured. A security report for the UN, seen by AFP, cited at least 56 dead and 14 injured by four fighter jets, while local leader Lawan Zanna Nur estimated around 200 dead and injured. The Nigerian army confirmed conducting a strike in Jilli, stating the area is a known "terrorist movement corridor and a convergence point for ISWAP terrorists." Following allegations of civilian casualties, the Chief of Air Staff ordered an immediate investigation. A Nigerian intelligence source told AFP that the Jilli market, which attracts traders from Kano and Jigawa states, is controlled by Boko Haram. Ibrahim Liman, a member of an anti-jihadist self-defense group, stated about 70 injured were transported to Maiduguri as Geidam hospital could not handle the influx. Zarami Abor, 22, injured in the bombing, lost his father and two brothers. Issa Mammane, 29, also inj
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