Boko Haram insurgents killed twelve Cameroonian soldiers in an attack on the night of Monday, March 24, the government said in a statement on Thursday.
A dozen more soldiers sustained injuries during the attack, which occurred in the locality of Wulgo (Federal Republic of Nigeria), near the Lake Chad, Cameroon’s Ministry of Defence said in the statement.
Though no group had claimed responsibility for the incident, Yaounde accused extremists from the Boko Haram group of perpetrating the gruesome attack. It said “several insurgents” were also “neutralized” during the attack.
The soldiers were part of the United Nations-backed Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
Boko Haram began its insurgency in Nigeria in 2009 before spilling over to neighboring Lake Chad basin countries like Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
The jihadist group has increased attacks on Lack Chad Basin. The group killed about 40 Chadian soldiers in an attack on a military base late last year. President Mahamat Idriss Deby then threatened to withdraw the country from MNJTF during a visit to the site of the incident, accusing it of failing in its task of tackling insurgent groups in the Lake Chad region.
According to the Cameroon ministry of Defence, “the ascendancy of the terrorist group around the Lake Chad Basin” is due to advanced weaponry at their disposal acquired through “their apparent alliance with powerful transnational entities,” the ministry said.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Yaounde has condemned the “heinous terrorist attack” on soldiers who they say gave their lives in defence of Cameroon and the entire Lake Chad Basin region.
“The dedication and sacrifice of these soldiers on the fight against terrorism stands as a powerful testament to their unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Cameroon and the region,” the US embassy said in a statement. “They will not be forgotten and their legacy will continue to inspire future generations”.
