A Nigerian military airstrike intended to target armed bandits in Zamfara State mistakenly killed 16 civilians, including members of the local vigilante force, on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the Tungar Kara community, where local vigilantes had gathered to defend against an incursion by gunmen.
The Zamfara State government confirmed the tragic incident, expressing condolences to the families of the victims.
They clarified that the airstrike was targeting bandits fleeing from a nearby village.
This incident underscores the significant challenges faced by the Nigerian military in its counter-insurgency operations, particularly the difficulty in distinguishing between combatants and civilians in conflict zones.
This is not the first such incident. In December 2023, a similar airstrike tragically killed at least 85 civilians in Kaduna State.
In 2017, a military airstrike in Rann, near the Cameroon border, resulted in the deaths of over 112 people.
These incidents highlight the urgent need for improved intelligence gathering and enhanced targeting procedures to minimize civilian casualties in the ongoing fight against insurgency in Nigeria.