�Child suicide bomber� kills 20 in Cameroon bar blast

A suspected 12-year-old girl suicide bomber killed 20 people in an attack on a bar in Maroua in the far north of Cameroon, state television said Sunday, just days after 13 died in twin bombings in the city blamed on Boko Haram, reports AFP from Yaoundé.
The bomber blew herself up among Saturday night revellers in the popular bar, injuring at least 79 others, state TV reported. An earlier toll put the number of dead at 14.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the north of the country has been repeatedly targeted by Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists.
“A girl of around 12 blew herself up between two takeaway sales points. Security forces have sealed off the area and have made several arrests,” the state TV channel said.
The atrocity came a day after Boko Haram were also blamed for a wave of a attacks on villages across the border in northeastern Nigeria that left at least 25 dead and forced hundreds more to flee their burning homes.
Cameroon’s army has joined the regional military offensive against the extremists after suffering repeated deadly raids into its territory.
Maroua has been under heavy security for months as the threat from Boko Haram has grown, with motorbikes—which the insurgents often use to stage their raids—banned from the streets after dark.

�Child suicide bomber� kills 20 in Cameroon bar blast

A suspected 12-year-old girl suicide bomber killed 20 people in an attack on a bar in Maroua in the far north of Cameroon, state television said Sunday, just days after 13 died in twin bombings in the city blamed on Boko Haram, reports AFP from Yaound. The bomber blew herself up among Saturday night revellers in the popular bar, injuring at least 79 others, state TV reported. An earlier toll put the number of dead at 14. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the north of the country has been repeatedly targeted by Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists. A girl of around 12 blew herself up between two takeaway sales points. Security forces have sealed off the area and have made several arrests, the state TV channel said. The atrocity came a day after Boko Haram were also blamed for a wave of a attacks on villages across the border in northeastern Nigeria that left at least 25 dead and forced hundreds more to flee their burning homes. Cameroons army has joined the regional military offensive against the extremists after suffering repeated deadly raids into its territory. Maroua has been under heavy security for months as the threat from Boko Haram has grown, with motorbikeswhich the insurgents often use to stage their raidsbanned from the streets after dark.