Islamic militant group Boko Haram are suspected to have kidnapped dozens of people from villages in Cameroon in a series of cross-border attacks on Sunday, according to government officials.
As many as 80 people, mostly women and children, were abducted and a further four villagers reportedly killed in the raids. “They burnt to ashes almost 80 houses,” said Cameroon's Information Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, adding that investigations into the attacks were still ongoing.
Whilst attacks on villages in Cameroon have become more frequent, Sunday's raids are the largest cross-border abductions committed by Boko Haram. In 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped the wife of Cameroon's Vice-Prime Minister Amadou Ali and also held 10 Chinese workers for months before releasing them in October.
The latest attack comes after Ghana's President John Mahama urged the African Union to “deal permanently” with the Islamist group, with discussions planned this week to consider setting up a multi-national force.
See our earlier post: African Union to discuss multi-national force to tackle Boko Haram (16 Jan 2015)
As many as 80 people, mostly women and children, were abducted and a further four villagers reportedly killed in the raids. “They burnt to ashes almost 80 houses,” said Cameroon's Information Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, adding that investigations into the attacks were still ongoing.
Whilst attacks on villages in Cameroon have become more frequent, Sunday's raids are the largest cross-border abductions committed by Boko Haram. In 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped the wife of Cameroon's Vice-Prime Minister Amadou Ali and also held 10 Chinese workers for months before releasing them in October.
The latest attack comes after Ghana's President John Mahama urged the African Union to “deal permanently” with the Islamist group, with discussions planned this week to consider setting up a multi-national force.
See our earlier post: African Union to discuss multi-national force to tackle Boko Haram (16 Jan 2015)