Fight against bandits - Nigeria's army accidentally kills 85 civilians in drone attack
The Nigerian army has accidentally killed at least 85 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 Facebook. The search for further victims is continuing. A spokesperson confirmed the information on Tuesday.
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 initially did not provide any information on the number of casualties. Villagers also spoke of 85 dead, including many women and children.
Nigeria's army fights against armed gangs
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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Source: www.stern.de
