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Olukayode Jaiyeola/NurPhoto
An air strike by the Nigerian military focusing on ‘bandits’ has left seven kids lifeless and 5 others wounded “by mistake” within the Maradi area of southern Niger, a neighborhood governor advised AFP on Sunday.
“There was a mistake with the Nigerian strikes on the border that resulted in victims on our territory within the village of Nachade” on Friday, stated Chaibou Aboubacar, governor of the Maradi area, near Nigeria.
“The victims are 12 kids, seven of them lifeless and 5 wounded.”
4 kids died immediately and three others succumbed “to their accidents whereas being transported to hospital”, he stated.
In keeping with the governor, “the dad and mom have been attending a ceremony and the youngsters have been most likely taking part in when the strikes” hit them.
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He believes the planes have been focusing on “armed bandits” within the border areas, however “missed their goal” hitting Nachade as an alternative.
Aboubacar stated he visited the youngsters’s graves on Saturday in addition to the scene of the bombardment.
A number of municipalities within the Maradi area are severely affected by the violence of closely armed gangs from the Nigerian states of neighbouring Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara.
In 2018, Niamey strengthened army patrols alongside its border with Nigeria to forestall the incursions of those gangs which perform assassinations, kidnappings for ransom, assaults on merchants and raids on cattle which they then lead into Nigeria.
In April 2021, Worldwide Disaster Group (ICG) stated it feared a 3rd jihadist centre might emerge on this area of Maradi, exploiting the actions of Nigerian gangs and conflicts between native communities.
Niger already faces two jihadist fronts. The Nigerian group Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP), its dissident department, are working within the south-east whereas teams affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda are at work within the west.
In keeping with the UN Excessive Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Maradi is host to 10 ,000 Nigerian refugees, who’ve fled the relentless assaults of their nation.
In mid-February 2015, 36 individuals have been killed in a bombardment by an “unidentified” airplane towards a mosque within the village of Abadam within the Diffa area (southeast) the place Boko Haram jihadists had simply made their first assaults towards Niger.
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