Cameroon kills 41 Boko Haram fighters in air raid December 30 , 2014 Written by Our Reporter Cameroon ’ s army has launched air strikes against Boko Haram militants – the first since their incursion into that country from their base in northern Nigeria . The sect’ s members provoked the air strikes after invading some towns in northern Cameroon at the weekend . The Cameroonian military fought back , killing no fewer than 41 of the sect ’ s fighters . Cameroon Information Minister Issa Tchiroma said yesterday in Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital , that the coordinated assaults on five towns and villages showed a change in tactics by Boko Haram fighters , who focused on hit -and -run raids on individual settlements in the past. “ Boko Haram ’ s campaign to carve out an Islamist caliphate has spread from its stronghold in Northeast Nigeria to neighbouring Cameroon , raising fears for an already unstable region also threatened by Islamist militants in the Sahel , ’’ he said . He added that Cameroon sent thousands of soldiers to its Far North region to fight off the militants . It launched air attacks on the movement for the first time on Sunday . “ Units of the Boko Haram group attacked Makari , Amchide, Limani and Achigachia in a change of strategy which consists of distracting Cameroonian troops on different fronts . “ Making them more vulnerable in the face of the mobility and unpredictability of their attacks , ’’ Tchiroma said . He said no fewer than 34 militants were killed after the army laid siege to a base used by the militants in Chogori and seven others, plus one soldier were killed near the town of Waza . Cameroon Army spokesman , Lt . -Col . Didier Badjeck , said Boko Haram fighters briefly occupied an army camp in Achigachia after a fierce fight , but withdrew after air attacks . “ All the militants had now pulled back into Nigeria ,’’ Badjeck said . Both Tchiroma and Badjeck said it was too early to give full details of casualties . Boko Haram has killed over 40 soldiers and recruited hundreds of youths during raids in Cameroon ’ s Far North region this year . Also at the weekend , Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam visited Niger Republic to persuade over 4 , 000 residents of the state , who fled the Boko Haram crisis , to return. More than 4 , 000 residents of Gaidam , Kanamma and Yunusari , fled to Maine Soroa in Niger Republic after their towns were attacked . The governor visited the refugees camp on Saturday , conducted round by the premier ( Governor) of Diffa region, Alhaji Yakuba Usman . Usman said the people were offered shelter in the area with 1 , 385 in camp , being fed by Niger Government while 3 , 000 refugees were living with friends and relatives in Maine Soroa town . Gaidam promised the refugees that the Yobe State government would support them, but asked them to return home , noting that more soldiers would be deployed to strenghten security in the state . Some of the displaced persons expressed regret that security forces fled their towns as the terrorists invaded their communities . The governor also visited Geidam , his hometown , to commiserate with the people and to assure them of support following the devastating attack on them. Gaidam , who inspected the military base in the area, the Divisional police station , the local government secretariat and the Geidam market and other damaged public and private property , assured the people of his government ’ s support . The governor expressed his condolences to the families of those killed. He deplored the attacks which he described as “ wicked , sinful and brutal . ”
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 09:05:55 +0000
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