Cameroon says its soldiers have
liberated the northeastern Nigerian town of
Goshi from Boko Haram and handed it to the
Nigerian government. A spokesman for the
government of Cameroon said more than 160
Boko Haram fighters were killed and
hundreds of hostages, both Cameroonian and
Nigerian, freed.
Cameroon Communications Minister Issa
Tchiroma Bakary said between February 11
and 14, Cameroon's military launched raids
on Goshi, where intelligence reports
indicated Boko Haram fighters were running
training camps and bomb factories. He said
the terrorists were also training teenagers,
especially girls, and brainwashing them to be
suicide bombers. Cameroon obtained the
approval of Nigeria to free Goshi from the
insurgents.
"During this victorious assault 162 Boko
Haram terrorists were neutralized, four
artisan mine factories were dismantled, a
previously identified training center was set
ablaze, war weapons seized. The operation
led by Cameroon special forces also led to the
release of hundreds of people held hostage by
Boko Haram. Several Nigerian hostages were
also freed," said Bakary.
The spokesman said Cameroon lost two
soldiers in the battle, adding that Nigerian
troops celebrated the victory with Cameroon
troops who have now left Goshi, a town 15
kilometers from Cameroon's border with
Nigeria.
Regional forces from Cameroon, Nigeria,
Chad, Niger and Benin have been launching
raids on Boko Haram strongholds along the
border since last year.
According to the United Nations and
Amnesty International, Boko Haram's 6 year
insurgency has killed over 20 000 people,
and displaced 2.5 million people.
No comments:
Post a Comment