At least 7 Cameroonian soldiers killed in Boko Haram attack

Cameroonian soldiers

A file photo taken on November 12, 2014 shows Cameroonian soldiers patrolling in Amchide, northern Cameroon, a kilometre from Nigeria.

Photo credit: Reinnier Kaze | AFP

Yaounde,

 Boko Haram militants overrun an army base in Cameroon's Far North region on Saturday, killing at least seven soldiers and wounding several others, said military and local sources.

They hit the base in Sagme locality of the region by 4am local time on Saturday, two soldiers and a local resident told Xinhua.

The militants, well-armed, some of them in military camouflage arrived in a convoy of six vehicles, one of the soldiers said.

After several hours of fighting, the commander of the military base was killed alongside six of his colleagues.

"The soldiers were very brave and defended strongly. It is thanks to that they were able to repel the attackers and saved more lives," a soldier who opted for anonymity told Xinhua, adding that casualties on the part of the militants remained unknown.

Saturday's attack was the deadliest on Cameroon army in more than 10 months, according to security reports.

Boko Haram has plagued Cameroon's Far North region since 2014, killing more than 2,000 people, according to security reports.