Authorities in Cameroon have announced that about 5,000 persons held captive by Boko Haram militants have been freed.
These captives were said to have been freed by regional West African forces in an operation that lasted more than one week.
At a news conference on Wednesday Cameroon’s communication minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary said the operation to free the Boko Haram captives also led to the destruction of the militant group’s hideouts along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Read: Suspected Nigerian Spies Shown Executed In Boko Haram Video
Bakary said “hostages freed consisted mostly of women, children and elderly people,”
Several raids between February 26 and March 7 have also resulted in the arrest of 21 Boko Haram suspects.
The Communication minister however said none of its soldiers were killed in these raids as well as the operation that led to freeing the captives. Only one soldier sustained injuries.
Boko Haram militants in 2014 abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok leading to worldwide outrage and campaign for their rescue. Only a few have been rescued through separate operations and negotiations.
Over 200 of them are still believed to be in captivity.
Source: Africafeeds.com
