B'Haram’s Nigeria 'stronghold' destroyed by Cameroonian troops

Ninety-two suspected members of the Islamic sect Boko Haram were “neutralized” during a recent raid by Cameroonian troops on the Nigerian village of Ngoshe, located about 15 kilometers from the two countries’ common border.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Cameroon’s minister of Communication who doubles as government spokesman said in a statement broadcast on national radio on Friday that the operations took place between 23 to 24 February and swept not only through Ngoshe, but also in other areas.

The operations were conducted by troops under the multinational force including soldiers from Nigeria, Chad, Benin, Niger and Cameroon which led to the release of 850 villagers from the custody of the militants.

Bakary said the operations helped destroy one of the key logistic bases of the militants and an important decision-making center run by the extremist movement.

Two Cameroonian soldiers were also reported killed in the raid.

Several others were injured during mine clearance operations, which enabled the multinational troops to dismantle some Boko Haram “strongholds” which accommodated training camps, centers of radicalization, and plants for the manufacture of explosive devices.

In the combing operations, the Cameroonian army discovered large stockpiles of heavy and light weapons, ammunition of various types, mortar, suicide vests, war vehicle and Islamist propaganda literatures.