Gunmen from Nigeria's Boko
Haram Islamist militant group killed
two Cameroonian soldiers in fighting at
the weekend that also left three
militants dead, military officers said on
Monday.
The clash highlights how pockets of
Boko Haram fighters remain active
despite progress this year by troops
from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger,
Chad and Cameroon in breaking the
militants' hold on vast swathes of
territory.
A Cameroonian officer said clashes
erupted when soldiers were dispatched
to check reports of Boko Haram
militants moving towards the northern
town of Zelevet, near the border with
Nigeria.
"When we arrived the enemy attacked.
We returned fire but sadly we lost two
men," the officer said, asking not to be
named. A second officer said three Boko
Haram fighters were killed and a female
militant captured.
Separately, a military source said
another 20 people had been killed last
week in attacks in villages on the
Cameroon side of the border with
Nigeria.
There was no immediate official
comment from the military on any of the
reported incidents.
Earlier this year, Boko Haram occupied
large chunks of northern Nigeria and
was increasingly mounting attacks on
neighbouring states, prompting regional
leaders into action to reverse gains made
by the six-year insurgency.
Operations carried out by regional
forces have pushed the militants from
most of their positions and Nigerian
President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has
vowed to crush what remains of the
group.
However, Boko Haram militants
continue to hit back and at least five
people were killed in a raid on a village
in southwestern Niger last week.
- Reuters
Haram Islamist militant group killed
two Cameroonian soldiers in fighting at
the weekend that also left three
militants dead, military officers said on
Monday.
The clash highlights how pockets of
Boko Haram fighters remain active
despite progress this year by troops
from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger,
Chad and Cameroon in breaking the
militants' hold on vast swathes of
territory.
A Cameroonian officer said clashes
erupted when soldiers were dispatched
to check reports of Boko Haram
militants moving towards the northern
town of Zelevet, near the border with
Nigeria.
"When we arrived the enemy attacked.
We returned fire but sadly we lost two
men," the officer said, asking not to be
named. A second officer said three Boko
Haram fighters were killed and a female
militant captured.
Separately, a military source said
another 20 people had been killed last
week in attacks in villages on the
Cameroon side of the border with
Nigeria.
There was no immediate official
comment from the military on any of the
reported incidents.
Earlier this year, Boko Haram occupied
large chunks of northern Nigeria and
was increasingly mounting attacks on
neighbouring states, prompting regional
leaders into action to reverse gains made
by the six-year insurgency.
Operations carried out by regional
forces have pushed the militants from
most of their positions and Nigerian
President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has
vowed to crush what remains of the
group.
However, Boko Haram militants
continue to hit back and at least five
people were killed in a raid on a village
in southwestern Niger last week.
- Reuters
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