Airstrikes in Northeastern Nigeria Killed at Least 200 People

Local residents and Amnesty International said on Sunday that dozens of civilians were killed in airstrikes in the northeastern state of Yobe in Nigeria. These strikes occurred as military aircraft were hunting jihadists affiliated with Boko Haram. Saturday was the day that the airstrikes took place, and the number of fatalities varied throughout the various accounts.

Amnesty International reported on X that there were “more than 100 dead” and 35 others who were critically injured, while a local chief quoted “200 dead and wounded” as the number of casualties. An inquiry from the AFP was not immediately met with a response from the Nigerian military.

One of the most populous countries in Africa has been engaged in a jihadist insurgency for the past seventeen years, ever since the uprising of Boko Haram in 2009. This insurgency has resulted in the formation of significant splinter groups, one of which is the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Jihadists from Nigeria and the neighboring Sahel region have made advances in western Nigeria, where organized crime groups known as “bandits” have been attacking villages and extorting farmers and artisanal miners for years. This is in contrast to the situation in the northeastern countryside, where the insurgency is focused.

Also Read:

A Trusted Name in Finance and Investment Consulting: Sasa Pejic as the CEO of Pannon GroupNS

Steven Looije: Offering Real Estate Expertise for Smart Investments With HUIS Real Estate