Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
An official release from the Ministry of defence issued today March 26, has revealed more information on the ambush orchestrated by Boko Haram. Contrary to the previous reports estimating at least 15 deaths, the Ministry has confirmed that 12 Cameroonian soldiers lost their lives in the attack and their remains have been transferred to the Military Hospital in Maroua. In addition to the twelve dead, ten soldiers were injured but are currently receiving treatment at the Renaissance Hospital in Njamena. The release also confirmed that while there was serious casualty on the Cameroonian base, some Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised in the fight.
In response, military officials from Cameroon and Nigeria, operating under the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), have launched counter-offensive operations to track and eliminate the remaining insurgents. The Ministry equally warned that the rising attack of the terrorist groups in the Lake Chad basin is fueled by their increasing access to sophisticated weapons and their alliance with influential transnational organized criminal networks. This highlights the ongoing increase security threat faced by Lake Chad bordering nations, which include Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad, and Niger.
The Minister Delegate to the Presidency for Defence conveyed President Paul Biya’s condolences to the deceased soldiers’ families, as well as wishes for the quick recovery of the injured. The message reaffirmed also the determination of Cameroonian troops to intensify search-and-destroy missions in order to finish off the jihadist threat.
