DAKAR, Senegal — An airstrike aimed at an armed faction in northwestern Nigeria unintentionally claimed the lives of at least ten civilians, as confirmed by the country’s military on Friday.

On Christmas Day, the incident occurred when Nigeria’s air force targeted a logistics site belonging to the Lakurawa militant group in the Silame region of Sokoto state. Edward Buba, the defense spokesperson for Nigeria, provided this information during a press conference with journalists.

The Sokoto state government reported that the air force unintentionally bombarded the villagers early Wednesday morning while trying to oust the insurgents from the area. However, in a statement on Friday, Buba clarified that the munitions struck the insurgents directly, and the civilian deaths resulted from “secondary explosions.”

The Lakurawa group has been a growing threat in Nigeria, having infiltrated the region amid a series of coups that have affected Nigeria’s relations with its neighbors, including Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. This situation has hampered collective action against cross-border security issues.

Initially, the group garnered local support by assisting communities in defending against cattle thieves. However, they later aimed to establish stringent Islamic laws in the border regions of the French-speaking nations.

Incidents involving airstrikes hitting civilians are a frequent occurrence in Nigeria. The previous year, a misguided drone attack by the military struck a religious gathering in northwest Nigeria, leading to the deaths of 85 civilians.

According to the Lagos-based security firm SBM Intelligence, since 2017, around 400 civilian casualties have resulted from similar airstrike blunders by the military.

Prior to facing the Lakurawa insurgents, Nigeria was engaged in a prolonged conflict against Boko Haram in the northeastern region. The insurgency began in 2009, with the group aiming to impose its extreme interpretation of Sharia law within the area.

Boko Haram has since fractured into various factions, collectively responsible for the loss of over 35,000 lives and the displacement of more than 2 million individuals. This ongoing violence has contributed to a humanitarian crisis, leaving millions in urgent need of international assistance.