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Boko Haram land mine kills 2 in Cameroon military convoy Boko Haram land mine kills 2 in Cameroon military convoy
(about 1 hour later)
YAOUNDE, Cameroon — A Cameroon military spokesman says a commanding officer and a soldier died, and eight others were injured, when their convoy hit a land mine traveling from Nigeria to Cameroon. YAOUNDE, Cameroon — A commanding officer and a soldier with Cameroon’s military have died after their convoy hit a land mine as they returned from an anti-Boko Haram operation in Nigeria, officials said Monday.
Gen. Jacob Kodji said Monday that senior commanding officer Lt. Col. Kwene Belthus was among those killed by the bombs planted by Nigeria’s Islamic extremists Boko Haram. He said Belthus had organized cross-border raids on bomb factories in Boko Haram strongholds in Goshi, Nigeria. The convoy hit the land mine on Sunday when returning to Kerawa, Cameroon. Senior commanding officer Lt. Col. Kwene Belthus died Sunday after his convoy hit the land mine, said Gen. Jacob Kodji who commands the Cameroon troops in the area. The military had finished cross-border raids on bomb factories in Boko Haram strongholds in Goshi, Nigeria, Kodji said. The convoy hit the land mine while returning to Kerawa, Cameroon, injuring eight other soldiers, said Kodji.
Kodji said fire power for the extremists is weakened. Belthus earlier Sunday told The Associated Press that Boko Haram was now resorting to suicide bombings and land mines. “Boko Haram has resorted to using land mines to kill our soldiers. Their fire power has been weakened but our soldiers and populations should be careful and watchful,” Kodji said Sunday.
Boko Haram has stepped up attacks in countries contributing to a multinational force to eliminate extremists. Before his death, Belthus earlier Sunday told The Associated Press that Boko Haram’s ability to launch massive attacks had been drastically reduced by raids organized by Cameroonian and Nigerian soldiers on strongholds in the border regions.
“They put explosives on the road. They know that when the car will pass on those explosives everything will be blown off,” he said.
In its six-year insurgency, Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced 2.5 million in the region, according to the United Nations and Amnesty International.
Attacks across Nigeria’s borders increased by the extremists last year in countries, such as Cameroon, who are contributing to a multinational force to wipe out Boko Haram.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.