Cameroon sends troops to Nigerian border

Cameroon has deployed some 1,000 troops and armored vehicles to its border region with Nigeria to counter a rising threat from Boko Haram Islamist militants, the nation’s defense ministry spokesman said yesterday. “Their mission will be to carry out reconnaissance and be ready to respond with enough fire power,” Lieutenant Colonel Didier Badjeck told Reuters by telephone from Yaounde. Boko Haram, which outraged international opinion with the abduction of some 200 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria seven weeks ago, has also carried out attacks in northern Cameroon. It is suspected of attacking a Chinese workers camp there this month.