Suicide bombers targeting the northern town of Bodo have killed 28 people and wounded 65. The attack is one of Cameroon’s worst yet, in a town which borders Boko Haram’s strongholds in northeastern Nigeria.
“The new toll is 28 dead and 65 wounded. Currently the situation is stable. Our security forces are in place,” a Nigerian official confirmed.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack, but Boko Haram is suspected to be behind the fatal explosions.
Increase in Islamist attacks
The Islamist militant group has stepped up attacks outside Nigeria over the past year, including in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, threatening regional security.
Some 12 people were killed and at least one person was seriously injured earlier in January following an attack on a mosque in the town of Kouyape, while at the end of December two female suicide bombers targeted the entrance to Bodo.
During its six-year insurgency, Boko Haram has killed thousands of people and driven more than 2 million people from their homes.
Cameroon is one of a number of African nations joining Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram. It has carried out a number of raids against the Islamist group in the border region with Nigeria. The US has also sent troops to supply intelligence and other assistance.
ksb/tj (Reuters, AFP)
