Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian non-governmental organisation best known for its life-saving projects in war-torn regions, says 52 people were killed and at least 120 people were wounded when a Nigerian Air force jet mistakenly bombed an internally displaced persons camp in Rann, Borno State, on Tuesday.
Earlier, Lucky Irabor, theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, had said that after receiving a report about the gathering of Boko Haram terrorists around Kala Balge area of Maiduguri, he directed the air component of the operation to provide cover for the ground troops, in order to tackle the problem.
Unfortunately, the strike was conducted but it turned out that other civilians were somewhere around the area and they were affected,” Irabor said.
“So far, it is a little bit disturbing; death has occurred. There are casualties; there were deaths and injuries but on the actual number of casualties, we would get back to you later.
“I am yet to get the number of casualties of civilians killed, but two soldiers were also affected.”
Responding, MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, decried the “large-scale attack” and implored the military to immediately facilitate the evacuation and treatment of survivors.
“This large-scale attack on vulnerable people who have already fled from extreme violence is shocking and unacceptable,” Jean-Clément Cabrol, MSF director of operations, said.
“The safety of civilians must be respected. We are urgently calling on all parties to ensure the facilitation of medical evacuations by air or road for survivors who are in need of emergency care.”
MSF said its medical teams were “currently providing first aid to 120 wounded patients in its facility in Rann” while its medical and surgical teams in the region were “preparing to treat evacuated patients”.
