Nigerian Air Force mistakes refugee camp for Boko Haram camp

A Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet or L-39 mistakenly attacked a civilian refugee camp along the Nigerian-Cameroon border while attempting to attack a Boko Haram installation. There are conflicting numbers being put out, with Doctors Without Borders claiming over 100 killed, while other reports are 50 dead and 120 wounded. The Red Cross confirmed at least 6 aid workers were among the dead.

The ICRC and MSF were handing out food, and giving medical aid in the camp when the attack occurred. More than 20,000 people have been killed in the fighting between Nigeria and Boko Haram, and 2 million have been displaced in the last six years.

www.aljazeera.com...
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Washington Post

What a horrific error. Thanks for posting-- the tragic events of Nigeria have often been eclipsed by the more heavily reported catastrophe in Syria.

So sad and most likely will go without any consequences or changes to prevent a similar incident

Like you do.

A professionally trained pilot mistook a camp of people running for their lives, for a bunch of people wanting to take their life. Hmm, let me think??

Whatever happened to the practice of marking non combatants, humanitarian sites or the tops of medical aid tents/campsites with a big red cross to signify "not the enemy"? Like depicted in "MASH". It's too easy to just mistake an enemy tent with a neutral tent. Sad event no less.

a reply to: jappee

Too easy for non-uniformed combatants to set up a camp, put red crosses on the tents, and have a camp that won't be touched to do what they want as far as planning and stockpiling.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Good point. But there has to be a way to curb this type of mistaken attack. Maybe a secure electronic beacon issued of some type to identify these sites from the real enemy? I do realize this could be hacked as well but there has to be a method that works better than nothing, nothing that results in friendly casualties.

ETA; If we can charge the right subscriber of a cell phone, why can't we figure out who is not?

a reply to: jappee

I just can't figure out how they mistook a camp with something like 25,000 refugees in it, for a terrorist facility. I know things happen fast in an aircraft like that, but if there was a terrorist camp that big, I think they would have known about it, and certainly would have sent a lot more than one aircraft after it long before now.