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Cameroon's army has reportedly killed the leader of the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau after fierce fighting in the border region of Gambaru in the far north of the country on Saturday night.Although the information has not been made official, several army officers reached by telephone have described scenes of jubilation by their troops on the scene of the clashes as they hinted at the imminent end of the jihadist movement."Last night fighting was exceedingly violent. It even happened that our troops had to fight beyond our borders" an anonymous senior officer said.
Officials from the American Embassy in Cameroon, who have been informed of Shekau's apparent demise, have urged caution and asked for the DNA of the dead person purported to be the Boko Haram leader, according to internal sources.
Hours earlier, a statement from the Cameroonian government indicated that the army had killed a dozen Boko Haram assailants attempting a raid in the town of Amchidée in the far north along the Nigerian border.
It had also reported "heavy fighting in which the national defense forces successfully repelled the attackers."