Nigerian Airstrike on Yobe Market Kills at Least 200 People Near Borno Border

An airstrike conducted by Nigerian military jets struck a village market in northeast Yobe state on Saturday night, resulting in at least 200 people feared dead. The operation targeted Islamist militants in the Jilli area, which borders Borno state. A councilor for the area and residents reported the casualties on Sunday.

Nigeria's Air Force stated that it had killed Boko Haram militants in the Jilli axis in Borno state. In a statement released to Reuters on Sunday, the Air Force did not mention striking a market. It did not respond to further requests for comment.

The government of Yobe state said in a statement that an airstrike had been conducted near a market attended by people. Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam, military adviser to the Yobe state government, provided this information but gave no further details.

The strike took place in a village in Yobe on the border with Borno, an area affected by a long-running insurgency.

This insurgency has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more over the years. Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, the councilor and traditional head of Fuchimeram ward in Yobe's Geidam district, stated that injured individuals were being transported to hospitals in Yobe and Borno. >"It's a very devastating incident at Jilli Market.

" — Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam (Reuters) Three other residents and an official from an international humanitarian agency confirmed the strike and the likely death toll. The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency reported preliminary details of an incident at Jilli Market that resulted in casualties among marketers. The agency activated its emergency response procedures.

Ahmed Ali, a 43-year-old resident who sells medical consumables at the market, described being injured in a blast.