Nigerian army accidentally kills 85 civilians
A conflict between militias and the military has been raging in Nigeria for a long time. The latter kills 85 people in an attack. Many of the victims were women and children. Particularly tragic: a military spokesman now confirms that the attack on a Muslim festival was an accident.
The Nigerian army has accidentally killed dozens of civilians in a drone attack. 85 dead have already been buried following the attack in a village in the north-western state of Kaduna on Sunday, the disaster management authority announced on its Facebook page. The search for further victims is continuing. A spokesperson confirmed the information.
The army had admitted on Monday that it had accidentally hit villagers celebrating a Muslim festival in the village of Tudun Biri during a drone attack against militias on Sunday evening. The army did not initially provide any information on the number of casualties. Villagers also spoke of 85 dead, including many women and children.
Nigeria's armed forces are carrying out air strikes against so-called bandit militias in the north-west and north-east of the country. The gangs are mainly active in north-western Nigeria and their bases are located deep in the forests. They attack and loot villages and kidnap residents to extort ransom money.
In north-eastern Nigeria, jihadists had also taken control of large areas, but were recently pushed back. More than 40,000 people have been killed in fighting since 2009 and two million people have been displaced.
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The frequent wars and conflicts in Nigeria, including those between militias and the military, have led to the use of drone technology by the military. Despite the intended target being militias, a drone strike in Kaduna resulted in the accidental killing of 85 civilians, many of whom were women and children.
Source: www.ntv.de
