Cameroonian military today fought “heavy clashes” with Boko Haram in bonderi

Cameroonian troops fought “heavy clashes” Tuesday with Boko Haram militants near the border with Nigeria as a security summit kicked off in Niger on a regional plan to stop the Islamist fighters.

Boko Haram insurgents from neighbouring Nigeria attacked the far northern Cameroon border village of Bonderi, a source told AFP, adding that “it’s too early to give a casualty toll”. The fighting comes as Nigeria and its regional neighbours, including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, met in Niger’s capital Niamey to plan a strategy against the Islamist fighters.

Boko Haram controls swathes of Nigeria and has stepped up cross-border attacks in the region as part of an insurgency that has left 13,000 dead and forced 1.5 million from their homes since 2009. Chad sent a convoy of troops and 400 military vehicles into Cameroon Saturday to help in the fight against Boko Haram and its president has called for the creation of a regional force.