TheCable

Few days after President Paul Biya called for international military assistance to check the threat of Boko Haram to attack Cameroon, suspected insurgents have struck at a military base in the northern part of the country.

Based on its proximity to Nigeria, Cameroon has recorded several attacks from the sect.

In a Youtube video, which went viral last week, Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect, threatened to attack the country and kill Biya.

However, recalling the excesses of the group, Biya called for external support during a new year message to diplomats who visited him at the presidential palace.

“The group is part of a global movement that has attacked Mali, the Central African Republic and Somalia in its drive to establish its authority from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic,” Reuters quoted Biya as saying.

“A global threat calls for a global response. Such should be the response of the international community, including the African Union and our regional organizations.”

The latest attack occurred in the city of Kolofata, forcing many to flee.

“As soon as people heard the first gunfire they fled the city,” a police source told the AFP news agency on Monday, adding: “The gunfire was very heavy.”