Cmr pays tribute to 25 soldiers killed by Boko Haram

An official tribute was rendered to 25 Cameroonian soldiers killed recently in clashes between the local army and fighters of the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram; reported the Cameroonian State radio Friday.

A ceremony chaired by Defence Minister Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo'o, celebrated Thursday the memory of 26 "soldiers killed at the front" of which 25 are "victims of the war against Boko Haram", the latter having been killed in Central Africa, reported State radio.

"Our valiant military (21) and gendarmes (5) died on the field of honour on 24, 25, 27 July 2014, and on 7 August", official of the army, Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Claude Kankeu said during the ceremony an.

Most of these soldiers were killed in violent clashes between the Cameroonian army and Islamists on 24 and 25 July in the far north of Cameroon, near the border with Nigeria.

Others lost their lives July 27 in a Boko Haram attack in the town of Kolofata (far North), where the wife of a Deputy Prime Minister and a traditional chief were abducted and still have not been released. President Paul Biya has reorganized its military build-up in the North of the country to strengthen the fight against the Islamist sect after these events.

"Thanks to the recent reorganization of our device of defense by the president, we are seeing a resurgence of effectiveness of our defence forces which inflict very heavy casualties to the attackers of the Boko Haram sect", assured Mr. Mebe Ngo'o.

The Minister also said that dozens of Islamists were killed recently by the Cameroonian army following incursion attempts by Boko Haram in Fotokol, Cameroon border town opposite Gamboru. According to security sources, the Cameroonian army bombarded Wednesday evening a site occupied by Boko Haram in that city.