Nigerian Air Forces launches investigation into deadly airstrike in Yobe state

Nigeria's Air Force has launched an investigation after an airstrike on Saturday allegedly killed dozens of civilians in the country's northeast.

More than 100 people were killed and 35 injured when three military jets fired on a market in Jilli village in Yobe state, Amnesty International said on Monday.

The strike was targeting Boko Haram militants, the Air Force said in a statement. The operation was based on intelligence and surveillance that tracked the group's movements, it added.

A civilian security group working with the military said there was credible evidence militants had gathered near the market and were planning an attack on local communities.

Nigeria has been fighting a jihadist insurgency since Boko Haram emerged in 2009. The most prominent groups active in the country's north are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, affiliated with the so-called Islamic State. More than 40,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began.

The United States has deployed drones and 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the Nigerian Armed Forces.