By ZAGAZOLA MAKAMA

At least 40 civilians were killed on Sept. 21 when airstrikes by the Nigerien Air Force mistakenly hit a weekly market in Injar village, near Chical, Kourfey Commune of Tillaberi Region.

The victims included women, children, and elderly persons, sparking outrage across Niger where authorities have come under criticism for repeated civilian casualties during air operations.

Preliminary findings revealed the strikes were intended to target terrorists believed to be operating in the area but instead struck the market.

Conflict monitoring group ACLED reported that between July 2023 and November 2024, more than 600 civilians were killed in about 30 localities in Tillaberi as a result of drone strikes that indiscriminately hit non-combatants.

Analysts say the Injar incident is likely to deepen discontent among the population against Niger’s military authorities, who have vowed to defeat terrorism in the Sahel but face growing criticism over the reliability of their intelligence. (Zagazola, but headline rejigged)