JULY 23 (Reuters) — At least 13 people were killed in two suicide bomb attacks in northern Cameroon on Wednesday (July 22) in what appeared to be the deepest incursion by Boko Haram militants from neighboring Nigeria.
The first explosion hit a market and the second a densely populated neighborhood, both in the capital of Cameroon’s Far North region, Maroua, a military source told Reuters.
No one claimed responsibility, but Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on the countries bordering its northeast Nigerian stronghold – Chad, Niger as well as Cameroon.
All three have contributed troops to a regional offensive against the Islamist militants who have allied themselves to Islamic State and pose one of the biggest security threats in the combustible region.
A statement from the office of President Paul Biya said 13 people were killed in the attack. Cameroon state television channel CRTV quoted the region’s governor saying 17 people died.
The blasts came 10 days after two suicide attacks killed 13 people in Fotokol, about 300 km (200 miles) north of Maroua.
