Nigerian airstrike mistakenly kills civilians supporting security forces while targeting rebels

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian military airstrike targeting armed groups in the conflict-battered northwest mistakenly killed a number of civilians working in community security outfits, authorities and residents said.

This is the third misfire by the military in a little over a year during aerial bombardments of extremists and rebel groups.

The Nigeria Air Force was targeting rebels in the hard-hit Zurmi and Maradun areas of Zamfara state, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the state governor’s spokesman, said on Sunday.

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“Regrettably, some members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilantes were also affected during the operation in Tungar Kara, resulting in the loss of lives,” Idris said in a statement, saying they were “mistakenly identified as bandits fleeing” from the area.

Officials did not say how many civilians were killed and the air force has not issued a statement. However, Salisu Maradun, a local resident, said they counted up to 20 bodies while 10 others were being treated for injuries.

Meanwhile, the Zamfara government called the weekend airstrike “successful” as it “decisively targeted bandits” in a “renewed onslaught” by the military. “We will continue to offer support to enhance intelligence sharing, provide logistics, and strengthen community engagement,” the statement said.

Nigeria’s military often conducts air raids to battel extremist violence that has destabilized the country’s north. These air raids have ended up killing some 400 civilians since 2017, according to the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence research firm.

In December 2023, more than 80 civilians were mistakenly killed during a religious gathering in the northern Kaduna state. In May 2024, the Nigerian military said two of its personnel would face a court martial over the misfire. However, it never released the investigation's findings, continuing a trend that rights groups have criticized as a lack of transparency.