It was not immediately clear where the clashes with the militants had taken place or where Boko Haram’s captives had been held.
Advertisement
The 8,700-strong regional task force has stalled in its operations, however, as the national armies appear to be battling Boko Haram independently with little collaboration.
Army spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck said troops had conducted a sweep operation between November 26-28 along Cameroon’s long border with its western neighbour Nigeria. It is thought the other three suicide bombers blew themselves up without causing any civilian casualties as they were spotted by suicide bomber lookouts who warned others of the threat.
The armed group is using Cameroon’s impoverished far north to stockpile supplies and recruits until the government cracked down a year ago.
At least 17,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million made homeless since then.
The military gains reportedly came during a special clean-up operation in Cameroon’s north, near the border with Nigeria, Ofeibea says.
He said they are being reunited with families.
The extremist group pledged allegiance to ISIL, outlawed in Russian Federation, in March.
It’s also not clear whether any of the 200 schoolgirls seized past year in Nigeria were among the freed hostages, Reuters notes.
“The boy also pointed out one other Boko Haram senior member, Alhaji Kerewu Abubakar at the camp”.
With stepped up operation, he warned that Boko Haram could retaliate by carry out more suicide bomings. “We can not be cowed by an imaginary Boko Haram tale”.
Advertisement
The minister attributed the success of the raid to cooperation between Cameroonian security forces and a new multinational force being set up to fight Boko Haram and Nigeria’s army.
