In a harrowing incident that has left the local community in shock, at least 200 people are feared dead following a series of devastating airstrikes in Nigeria’s northeastern Yobe state. The tragic event unfolded on Saturday as military aircraft targeted Boko Haram jihadists in the region, according to local residents and human rights organization Amnesty International.
Amnesty International reported on its social media platform that the attacks resulted in “more than 100 dead “and left 35 individuals critically injured. A local chief, however, offered a more dire estimate, stating that “200 dead and wounded “were the consequences of the strikes. The Nigerian military has yet to issue an official statement or respond to inquiries from news agencies.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has been embroiled in a jihadist insurgency for the past 17 years. The conflict began with the 2009 uprising of Boko Haram and has since witnessed the rise of powerful splinter groups such as Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Although the insurgency is predominantly centered in the northeastern countryside, the influence of jihadists has expanded to include areas in western Nigeria, where organized crime gangs known as “bandits “have been preying on villages and extorting local communities for years.
Amidst these ongoing conflicts, Pope Leo XIV has issued a call for an immediate ceasefire, noting the escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah. In a separate development, the mayor of Cape Town has been elected to lead South Africa’s second-largest party, while Benin’s President Patrice Talon expressed optimism about the upcoming elections as he cast his vote.
These events come as Nigeria faces another challenge, with a mass trial for terrorism suspects underway, reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to combat the jihadist threat. In a separate incident, Nigeria’s Christian community has questioned the army’s rescue efforts following an attack on a church in Kaduna state. Elsewhere, the US and Iran have ended talks in Pakistan without reaching a breakthrough, and in Djibouti, incumbent leader Ismaïl Guelleh secured a landslide victory in the official election results.
Source: Africanews
Original author: Rédaction Africanews
