Five soldiers killed as Boko Haram attacks military base in Cameroon — second time in 3 days

Boko Haram has again attacked an army base in Cameroon’s far north region, killing five soldiers and one civilian — second time in three days.

According to a radio statement by the country’s defence ministry, the attack took place on Monday at about 9:30pm.

The ministry said a group “of heavily armed terrorists of the Boko Haram sect, aboard several light tactical vehicles, attacked the command post in the locality of Zigue”.

“After serious fighting, the insurgents retreated, apparently toward the localities of Koutala, Gazalful, and Goulmade, Borno state in the north-east of Nigeria.

The ministry said five soldier and one civilian were killed in the attack, adding that three soldiers and one civilian were wounded and taken to a health centre for treatment.

It also noted that several of the assailants were neutralized “and their bodies cartes away as the terrorists retreated”.

“The Troops remain on high alert throughout the far north and across the border in order to prevent possible new assaults by the terrorist hydra Boko Haram which seems to have bounced back in full force following the internal structuring of its ideology and its conquest of the field,” the statement reads.

In a similar incident on July 24, Boko Haram insurgents overran an army base in Cameroon’s far north region, killing seven soldiers and wounding several others.

Security reports had said the attack was the deadliest on the Cameroon army in more than 10 months.

More than 2000 people have reportedly been killed in the region since the insurgency started in 2014.

Earlier in the year, Ibrahim Attahiru, former chief of army staff, had said Nigeria will partner with Cameroonian and Chadian troops to end the insurgency in the country.