Daijiworld Media Network - Abuja

Abuja, Apr 13: More than 100 people were reportedly killed and at least 35 others injured in airstrikes in northeastern Yobe State as military aircraft targeted Boko Haram insurgents, according to local residents and Amnesty International on Sunday.

The strikes took place in the village of Jilli, though the exact number of casualties remains unclear. Amnesty International said there were “more than 100 dead” and at least 35 seriously wounded.

However, local chief Lawan Zanna Nur estimated the total number of casualties, including the injured, to be around 200. Several victims were rushed to hospitals in Geidam and Maiduguri, where at least eight more succumbed to injuries on Sunday.

“We are talking of dozens dead but it is difficult to give a specific toll,” the chief said, indicating the uncertainty surrounding the scale of the incident.

The Nigerian military has not yet issued an official response.

An intelligence source said the Jilli market is largely under the control of Boko Haram, which allegedly provides security and collects taxes from traders operating in the area.

Nigeria has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2009, when Boko Haram launched its uprising, leading to prolonged violence and the rise of splinter groups such as the Islamic State West Africa Province.