IDP Bombing: How over 100 died in a mistaken air strike by Nigerian Airforce

Posted by FactNews | 7 years ago | 2,382 times



No fewer than 100 innocent civilians were killed in a mistaken air strike by men of the Nigerian Air Force of ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’ in the North-East, in a coordinated attack on a supposed group of terrorists gathering in Kala Balge Local Government Area of the state.


Sources said the air strike was carried out on one of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge council, in which civilians were killed, while two soldiers, staff of International Committee of Red Cross, ICRC and Medicine San Frontiers (Doctors without Borders) were critically wounded.

 

A close government source, who did not want his name mentioned said, “more than 100 innocent civilians were killed in the incident.” The Nigerian Air Force was said to be carrying out mop-up operations against the insurgents in the North-East when the incident happened.

 

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged that the Federal Government will help the state government in attending to the victims of the accidental bombing. The President who received the news with deep sadness and regrets, described it as regrettable and pleaded for calm. He condoled with the families of the dead, wishing the wounded divine succour and full recovery even as he sympathized with the Borno State Government.
He prayed God to grant repose to the souls of the dead of “this regrettable operational mistake.”

 

Confirming the incident at a news conference held at the Theatre Command Headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole yesterday, Major-General Lucky Irabor said upon receiving an intelligence report that some Boko Haram elements were regrouping in Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State, he quickly ordered men of the Air Force to address the problem. He regretted that the strike was conducted in the area, unfortunately locals and other civilians were killed alongside remnants of insurgents, who were regrouping.

 

“This morning (yesterday), we received reports about gathering of Boko Haram terrorists somewhere in Kala Balge Local Government area of Borno State. We got a coordinate and I directed that the air should go to address the problem. “Unfortunately, the strike was conducted but it turned out that the locals somewhere in Rann were affected. “We are yet to get the details of the casualties. But we heard that some civilians were killed, others were wounded and we also have two of our soldiers that were also wounded. Among some that were wounded were local staff of the Medecines Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) as well as ICRC,” Irabor said.


 


Source: culled from Vanguard

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