Nigeria’s protection headquarters on Monday denied stories of civilian deaths in airstrikes towards suspected bandits in northern Niger state, saying the strikes have been intelligence-led and hit solely militant targets.
Protection spokesperson Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja stated the in a single day drone strikes on Could 9-10 focused the villages of Katerma, Bocco, Kusas and Kuduru in Shiroro district after intelligence indicated that armed teams identified domestically as bandits have been gathering to plan assaults.
The denial was in response to stories in Nigerian media claiming civilian casualties, confirming long-standing considerations concerning the impression of airstrikes in Nigeria’s battle zones on native communities.
Nigerian safety forces are battling bandits within the northwest and a 17-year-old Islamist insurgency within the northeast.
Final month, army planes raided a village market whereas chasing Islamic extremists within the northeast, killing about 200 folks, locals advised Reuters.
Onoja stated at the very least 70 suspected bandits have been killed in Kusas alone in current airstrikes. He added that data after the airstrike confirmed that the surviving fighters had regrouped and greater than 200 motorbikes have been shifting in the direction of the close by village of Zango.
“The assault exactly focused recognized terrorist settlements and achieved its supposed army goal,” Onoja stated, including that residents had been relocated to different villages beforehand and the opportunity of civilian presence was restricted.
He didn’t say whether or not civilians had been warned of the assault.
Onoja stated the army had ordered area troops to research allegations of hurt to civilians.
