Cameroon: Troops free 900 hostages in attack on Boko Haram

Cameroon’s army claims to have killed 100 Boko Haram terrorists and freed 900 hostages over the weekend.

The statement disclosed that Tella’s arrest led to the discovery of another senior Boko Haram member, Alhaji Kerewu Abubakar, at the Dalori camp.

Troops from Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Benin joined forces to launch the three-day operation, which was executed between November 26 and 28.

Boko Haram has now switched tactics, frequently carrying out suicide attack to deadly effect. Once the identification process is completed, they will be escorted to their families in the villages.

The defense ministry said the soldiers killed the militants and rescued the hostages during an operation last week along the Cameroon-Nigeria border.

It was also not known whether those freed included any of the more than 200 schoolgirls seized by the militants in their dormitories in Chibok, Nigeria past year.

The Islamist terror organization has been orchestrating attacks near the borders of Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad throughout past year, especially because of the lack of surveillance in the areas.

The civilian fighters held Gulak town after soldiers ran away Sunday night until the military sent reinforcements who fought off the extremists, former council chairman James Ularamu told The Associated Press.

The minister attributed the success of the raid to cooperation between Cameroonian security forces and a new multinational force being set up to fight Boko Haram and Nigeria’s army.

Boko Haram has expanded attacks into Cameroon, Chad and Niger – all countries contributing troops to a regional force meant to wipe out the extremists.

In Nigeria, the military has retaken towns once controlled by the militants.