Image copyright AFP PHOTO/DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) Image caption More than 100 people are said to have been injured

A Nigerian military jet has mistakenly bombed a camp for displaced people in the north-east, killing at least 52 people and injuring many more.

Aid workers are among the dead in Rann, with the Red Cross saying six of its employees were killed.

The MSF aid agency said that over 200 people had been injured and appealed for help with medical evacuations.

President Muhammadu Buhari, whose army is fighting Boko Haram militants, expressed dismay and urged calm.

The attack took place near the border with Cameroon, where the military is engaged in what it calls its final push against Boko Haram.

It is thought to be the first time Nigeria's military has admitted to making such a mistake.

Red Cross spokeswoman Aleksandra Matijevic said that along with the staff killed, more than a dozen of the group's volunteers, who arrived on Tuesday to deliver food to the thousands of displaced people, were wounded.

"Our thoughts are now with the families of our colleagues who have lost their loved ones," Ms Matijevic said, adding that the Red Cross would continue bringing humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict.

MSF told the BBC that its organisation also had medical teams working in the Rann camp when the bombs struck.

"More than 50 people have been killed," said Hugues Robert, head of MSF's emergency response.

"Our team was there and counted the bodies, and more than 200 people have been wounded following these two different blasts from aerial bombardment," he said.

Image copyright AFP PHOTO/DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) Image caption MSF released photos of the aftermath of the air strike

MSF said it had teams in Cameroon and Chad ready to treat wounded patients.

Many of the casualties, it said, were believed to be displaced people who had fled from areas where Boko Haram had carried out attacks.

'All in pain'

Gen Rabe Abubakar, a spokesman for the Nigerian military, said that some "remnants" of Boko Haram had been detected outside Rann and the military had acted to eliminate them.

After the military realised its mistake, they were "all in pain", he said.

"However, in a military operation such as this, from time to time these things do occur," he added.

"Even though it was highly regretful, it was never intended."

Gen Lucky Irabor, who commands counter-insurgency operations in the north-east, said there would be an investigation.

A spokesman for the Nigerian president said the administration would offer help to the government of Borno state "in attending to this regrettable operational mistake".

Image copyright AFP PHOTO/DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) Image caption It is the first time an incident of this type has happened in north-east Nigeria

Boko Haram has caused havoc in Africa's most populous country through a wave of bombings, assassinations and abductions.

It is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.

The group has stepped up attacks in the past few weeks as the end of the rainy season enabled its fighters to move more easily in the bush.

Last month, the UN launched a $1bn (£800m) appeal for those facing hunger and starvation in the region.

It said nearly 5.1 million people in three north-eastern states were expected to face serious food shortages as for a third year in a row farmers had been unable to plant, fearing unexploded improvised devices left behind by militants.

Urgent aid was needed for some 100,000 people, mostly children, at risk of dying of starvation.

Boko Haram at a glance:

Image copyright Boko Haram video Image caption Boko Haram has sworn allegiance to Islamic State and often displays its trademark black flag

Islamist group founded in 2002, initially to resist Western-style education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language

Began attacks in 2009, mostly in the north-east, leaving thousands dead and hundreds abducted, including at least 200 schoolgirls

Joined so-called Islamic State and now calls itself IS's "West African province"

Torment of a freed Boko Haram 'bride'

The town that lost its girls</s>In this Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, file photo, Cameroon soldiers stand guard at a lookout post as they take part in operations against the Islamic extremists group Boko Haram, their guard post is on Elbeid bridge, left rear, that separates northern Cameroon form Nigeria's Borno state near the village of Fotokol, Cameroon. Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly bombed a refugee camp Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2017, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers, a Borno state government official said. (AP Photo/Edwin Kindzeka Moki)</s>A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists has mistakenly bombed a refugee camp, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers, a state official said.

The Borno state government official is helping to co-ordinate the evacuation of the wounded.

Military commander Major General Lucky Irabor confirmed the accidental bombardment in north-east Rann, near the border with Cameroon.

The general said Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross are among the wounded.

This is believed to be the first time Nigeria's military has admitted to making such a mistake.</s>(MAIDUGURI, Nigeria) — A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly bombed a refugee camp Tuesday, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers, a Borno state official said. A Red Cross worker said 20 volunteers with the aid group had been killed.

The state government official, who was helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded from the remote area by helicopters, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

Military commander Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor confirmed the accidental bombardment in northeast Rann, near the border with Cameroon.



This is believed to be the first time Nigeria’s military has admitted to making such a mistake.

Among the wounded were two soldiers and Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Irabor said.

An ICRC employee told the AP that 20 Red Cross volunteers were among the dead. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not supposed to give information to reporters.

Doctors Without Borders said its team based in Rann had counted 50 bodies and treated 120 wounded. A statement from spokesman Etienne l’Hermitte urged authorities to facilitate land and air evacuations, saying, “Our medical and surgical teams in Cameroon and Chad are ready to treat wounded patients. We are in close contact with our teams, who are in shock following the event.”

Irabor said he ordered the mission based on information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering, along with geographic coordinates. It was too early to say if a tactical error was made, he said.

The general, who is the theater commander for counterinsurgency operations in northeast Nigeria, said the Air Force would not deliberately target civilians but there will be an investigation.

Villagers in the past have reported some civilian casualties in near-daily bombardments in northeastern Nigeria.

Some of the nearly 300 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 and freed last year have said three of their classmates were killed by Air Force bombardments, according to the freed girls’ parents.</s>This is believed to be the first time Nigeria's military has admitted to making such a mistake. Villagers in the past have reported some civilian casualties in near-daily bombardments in northeastern Nigeria.

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria: A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly bombed a refugee camp Tuesday, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers, a Borno state official said.

The state government official was helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

Military commander Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor confirmed the accidental bombardment in northeast Rann, near the border with Cameroon. Among the wounded were two soldiers and Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross, he said.

This is believed to be the first time Nigeria's military has admitted to making such a mistake. Villagers in the past have reported some civilian casualties in near-daily bombardments in northeastern Nigeria.

Irabor said he ordered the mission based on information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering, along with geographic coordinates. It was too early to say if a tactical error was made, he said.

The general, who is the theater commander for counterinsurgency operations in northeast Nigeria, said the Air Force would not deliberately target civilians but there will be an investigation.

Some of the nearly 300 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 and freed last year have said three of their classmates were killed by Air Force bombardments, according to the freed girls' parents.</s>More than 100 people were killed and around 200 wounded after a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet mistakenly bombed a refugee camp during an operation against extremist group Boko Haram on Tuesday, AP reported. Military commander Major General Lucky Irabor acknowledged the incident that occurred in the town of Rann while President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his sadness over “this regrettable operational mistake” and said that assistance would be offered to the state.

The government, however, has not released an official toll of the victims yet. Nigerian military spokesperson General Rabe Abubakar said the incident was never intended. “However, in a military operation such as this, from time to time these things do occur,” BBC quoted him as saying.

Doctors without borders said at least 52 people were killed in the attack in Rann, which is along the border with Cameroon. The International Red Cross in Africa said that six of its workers were killed in the incident. “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,” Doctors without Borders director of operations Dr Jean-Clément Cabrol said.

In the past, villagers had accused the country’s armed forces of killing civilians during military operations.

Founded in 2002, Boko Haram has launched several operations killing scores of people as part of its mission to make Nigeria an Islamic state. More than 20,000 people have been killed during the group’s attacks, while around 26 lakh people have been displaced. The United Nations has described the situation as the worst crisis in the continent and warned that 51 lakh people risk starvation, AP reported.</s>MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian air force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly bombed a refugee camp on Tuesday, killing more than 100 refugees and aid workers, a Borno state official confirms.

Military commander Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor says an accidental bombardment in the northeastern town of Rann, near the border with Cameroon, saying “some” civilians were killed.

It is believed to be the first time Nigeria’s military openly admits to making such a mistake in a region where villagers have in the past reported civilian casualties in the near-daily bombings targeting the Islamic militants.

The Borno state official, who was helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded from the remote area by helicopters, says more than 100 refugees and aid workers were among the dead. He spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

Doctors Without Borders says its team based in Rann counted 52 bodies and were treating 120 wounded.

“This large-scale attack on vulnerable people who have already fled from extreme violence is shocking and unacceptable,” says Dr. Jean-Clément Cabrol, the aid group’s director of operations. “The safety of civilians must be respected.”

The International Committee for the Red Cross says six workers with the Nigerian Red Cross were among the dead and 13 were wounded. “They were part of a team that had brought in desperately needed food for over 25,000 displaced persons,” spokesman Jason Straziuso says in a statement from Nairobi, Kenya.

Two soldiers were also wounded, as well as Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders, Irabor says, without giving a precise figure.

The general, who is the theater commander for counterinsurgency operations in northeast Nigeria, says he ordered the mission based on information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering in the area, along with geographic coordinates.

It was too early to say if a tactical error was made, he says, adding that the bombing would be investigated.

Doctors Without Borders spokesman Etienne l’Hermitte in Geneva urges authorities to facilitate cross-border land and air evacuations.

“Our medical and surgical teams in Cameroon and Chad are ready to treat wounded patients. We are in close contact with our teams, who are in shock following the event,” the statement says.

Villagers have in the past reported some civilian casualties in near-daily bombardments in northeastern Nigeria.

Some of the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 and freed last year have said three of their classmates were killed by air force bombardments, according to the freed girls’ parents. Of the nearly 300 schoolgirls who were abducted, 196 remain missing.

The bombings have helped drive Boko Haram out of many towns and villages and, according to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, the insurgents’ last stronghold in the Sambisa Forest last month.

Boko Haram’s 7-year-old Islamic uprising has killed more than 20,000 people and forced 2.6 million from their homes, creating the continent’s worst humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations warning some 5.1 million people face starvation.</s>MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian state official says an Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists has mistakenly bombed a refugee camp, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers.

The Borno state government official is helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded. The official spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to reporters.

Military commander Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor confirms the accidental bombardment in northeast Rann, near the border with Cameroon. The general says among the wounded are Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

This is believed to be the first time Nigeria's military has admitted to making such a mistake.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian air force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly bombed a refugee camp on Tuesday, killing more than 100 refugees and aid workers and wounding 200, a government official and doctors said.

Military commander Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor confirmed an accidental bombardment in the northeastern town of Rann, near the border with Cameroon, saying “some” civilians were killed.

It was believed to be the first time Nigeria’s military has acknowledged making such a mistake in a region where villagers have in the past reported civilian casualties in the near-daily bombings targeting the Islamic militants.

A Borno state government official, who was helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded from the remote area by helicopters, said more than 100 refugees and aid workers were among the dead. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

Doctors Without Borders said its team based in Rann counted at least 52 bodies and was treating 200 wounded, many in critical condition, and the death toll was expected to rise.

“This large-scale attack on vulnerable people who have already fled from extreme violence is shocking and unacceptable,” said Dr. Jean-Clément Cabrol, the aid group’s director of operations.

As night fell, the group’s team struggled to stabilize the seriously wounded. “We hope that during the night not many more people will die,” said the group’s head of emergency programs, Hugues Robert, describing a complex evacuation because the area is insecure.

Photographs of the carnage showed a man carrying a wounded child, his clothing stained with blood, as well as bloodied victims being treated on the ground outside a tent clinic overflowing with the wounded. Nearby, corpses lay covered by blankets and prayer mats, alongside mounds of hastily dug graves.

After the attack, the charred remains of makeshift corrugated iron lean-tos and mud homes filled the landscape.

The International Committee for the Red Cross said six workers with the Nigerian Red Cross were among the dead and 13 were wounded. “They were part of a team that had brought in desperately needed food for over 25,000 displaced persons,” spokesman Jason Straziuso said in a statement from Nairobi, Kenya.

Two soldiers were also wounded, as well as Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders, Irabor said, without giving a precise figure.

The general, who is the theater commander for counterinsurgency operations in northeast Nigeria, said he ordered the mission based on information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering in the area, along with geographic coordinates.

It was too early to say if a tactical error was made, he said, adding that the bombing would be investigated.

Doctors Without Borders spokesman Etienne l’Hermitte in Geneva urged authorities to facilitate cross-border land and air evacuations.

“Our medical and surgical teams in Cameroon and Chad are ready to treat wounded patients. We are in close contact with our teams, who are in shock following the event,” he said in a statement.

Villagers have previously reported civilian casualties in airstrikes on Boko Haram positions in northeastern Nigeria.

Some of the schoolgirls kidnapped by the insurgents in 2014 and freed last year have said three of their classmates were killed by air force bombardments, according to the freed girls’ parents. Of the nearly 300 schoolgirls who were abducted, 196 remain missing.

The bombings have helped drive Boko Haram out of many towns and villages and, according to Buhari, the insurgents’ last stronghold in the Sambisa Forest last month.

Boko Haram’s 7-year-old Islamic uprising has killed more than 20,000 people and forced 2.6 million from their homes, creating the continent’s worst humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations warning some 5.1 million people face starvation.</s>A Nigerian state official says an Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists has mistakenly bombed a refugee camp, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers. The Borno state government official is helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded.

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The official spoke today on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to reporters. Military commander Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor confirms the accidental bombardment in northeast Rann, near the border with Cameroon. The general says among the wounded are Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

This is believed to be the first time Nigeria’s military has admitted to making such a mistake.
A Nigerian Air Force jet mistakenly bombs a refugee camp in Borno State, near the border with Cameroon, killing at least 90 people and injuring more than 100. The pilot reportedly believed he was attacking Boko Haram militants.