Deadly suicide bombings hit Cameroon market

Two suicide bombers killed at least 12 people and injured dozens of others in a market in northern Cameroon on Friday, military sources told the Reuters news agency.

Two men walked into the market in Meme and blew themselves up, one of the officials based in northern Cameroon said, adding that the number of dead and injured is subject to change.

A local official said 70 people were wounded Friday and have been taken to a hospital in the town of Tokombere, some in critical condition. He said the attackers disguised themselves as food vendors in the market.

There has so far been no official claim of responsibility for the attack, but officials pointed the finger at Nigeria-based Boko Haram, which has been blamed for a campaign of suicide attacks in neighboring countries Cameroon, Chad and Niger over the past year.

Boko Haram violence in Cameroon has caused about 1,000 deaths, according to the Cameroon government and military sources.

In all, the armed group is thought to have killed about 15,000 people and driven more than 2 million from their homes during a six-year insurgency in one of the world's poorest regions. The U.S. military now calls it the most lethal violent group in the world.

Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin have set up an 8,700-strong regional force tasked with wiping out Boko Haram. The United States has also sent troops to supply intelligence and other assistance. 

Wire services