Boko Haram extremists have killed more than 100 people in the town of Fotokol in northern Cameroon on Wednesday in revenge for losing 100 in clashes with Chadian and Cameroon Troops last Tuesday according to statements by Chad's army and state television. 9 Chadian and 6 Cameroon soldiers were killed in the battles with Boko Haram. "Boko Haram entered Fotokol through Gambaru and they killed more than 100 people in the mosque, in the houses and they burned property," said the civic leader Abatchou Abatcha to Reuters.
The massacre comes after the creation of a 7,500-strong force by Nigeria and the African Union to fight the extremist group in Africa. The Sunni Muslim jihadist group is seen as the main security threat to Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy and top oil producer which is holding presidential elections Feb. 14.
African Union (AU) officials are finalizing plans for the multinational force to fight Boko Haram though questions about funding persist. The AU is seeking U.N. Security Council approval and funding for the mission.
A U.N. official speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the issue's sensitivity stated that senior officers from the U.N. peacekeeping department are attending a strategy meeting that started Thursday in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital.
