A suicide bombing by a Boko Haram jihadist has killed at least 10 people in northern Cameroon, a security source said Thursday.
It was the latest in a spate of attacks blamed on the Nigeria-based Islamist militant group in northern Cameroon, which have driven tens of thousands of people from their homes.
The security source said the attacker blew himself up in the town of Djakana near the Nigerian border overnight.
The bomber
“Seven people were killed immediately, including the bomber. Four others later succumbed to their wounds”, the security source said.
“Others who were wounded are in hospital. We fear the number of victims could rise.”
Most of the victims were members of a local vigilante group tasked with hunting down Boko Haram fighters.
The attacker
Boko Haram’s seven-year insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and border areas of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and made more than 2.6 million homeless.
Some 2,000 Chadian soldiers are set to launch a counter-offensive against the group in the region, as part of a fight back by the four countries targeted by the group.
Targeting mosques
Boko Haram has regularly used women and children to stage suicide bombings, targeting mosques, markets, bus stations and checkpoints
But the overnight attack comes after a lull in violence in this border zone near Nigeria.