Suicide bomber kills 5 in northern Cameroon mosque

By Peter Kum

MAROUA, Cameroon

Five people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a mosque in the Far North region on Wednesday, an official said.

"The suicide bomber, a boy of about 15 years, infiltrated a mosque in Sanda-Wadjiri, a village south of Kolofata," Seiny Boukar, the mayor of Kolofata, said. The attack took place during the morning prayers, at 5.30 a.m. local time (0430GMT).

The explosion injured six people and destroyed part of the mosque. Terrorist group Boko Haram is believed to be behind the attack, a security official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Boukar Yasalou, leader of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, was among those killed, local media reported.

Boko Haram killed 25 people, including three soldiers, in the Far North in August, according to the Defense Ministry.

In June, the ministry announced the recruitment of more than 7,000 gendarmes and military personnel as part of the fight against Boko Haram.

Around 26 million people in the Lake Chad region have been affected by Boko Haram violence and more than 2.6 million displaced, according to the UN.

Cameroon is part of a regional task force that aims to eradicate the militant group that has so far killed more than 2,000 people in the country, according to government officials.