Death Toll of Suicide Bomb Attack in N. Cameroon Rises to 21

Yaounde (PNA/Xinhua) — The death toll of a suicide bomb attack which took place on Saturday in Maroua, capital of Far-North Region in Cameroon, rose to 21, one army source told Xinhua on Sunday.

The source who declined to be named said the attack left at least 21 people killed and 67 injured so far. According to a witness, the suicide bomber is a 12-year-old girl who detonated the explosives attached to her in a bar in Maroua at around 7:40 p. m. local time.

A local official told Xinhua Sunday over telephone, “The blast is devastating. Some injured people died in hospital. More injured people may die since their situation are very critical, so the death toll from the blast will increase further.”

The official said the people in Maroua are in panic as they don’ t know how to deal with the tragedy.

Just three days before, two girls carried out similar suicide bomb attacks in central market of Maroua, leaving 12 killed and 32 injured, the official statement said. But the unofficial figure put the death toll of these double attacks at 20.

It is suspected the attack on Saturday and the previous double attacks were made by followers of Nigerian Islamic sect Boko Haram.

After the double suicide bomb blasts on Wednesday, Cameroonian defence and security forces strengthened patrolling and security check in the region.

On July 13, in Fotokol, another town in Far North Region, two suspected Boko Haram female suicide bombers launched suicide bomb attacks, killing themselves and other 13 people, including two Chadian soldiers.

The Chadian government sent troops to Cameroon in mid-January to work with Cameroonian army to fight against Boko Haram. (PNA/Xinhua) CTB/RSM