More than 100 dead after Nigerian military mistakenly bombs refugee camp

Nigerian refugees in 2016.
(Image credit: Stefan Heunis/AFP/Getty Images)

More than 100 refugees and aid workers were killed and more than 200 wounded Tuesday when a Nigerian air force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram accidentally bombed a refugee camp, government officials said.

Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor confirmed that "some" civilians were killed in the northeastern town of Rann, The Associated Press reports. In the military's fight against Boko Haram extremists, bombardments take place nearly every day in the area, and villagers have previously reported civilian casualties from airstrikes; it's believed this is the first time the Nigerian military has admitted it hit the wrong target. The general said he had information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering in the area, and that's why he ordered the operation.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.