Over 50 deaths attributed to Boko Haram in Nigeria and Cameroon

Attacks attributed to the Islamists, Boko Haram, have killed more than 50 people on Wednesday in Nigeria and Cameroon, showing the nuisance the group creates despite a regional military operation.

In Cameroon, two young female suicide bombers killed at least 11 people by blowing themselves up in Maroua, the capital of the Far North region, which is regularly targeted by Nigerian Islamic insurgents.

At Gombe, North-Eastern Nigeria, some 42 people were killed after the explosion of several bombs at two bus stations.

The first explosions occurred around 19:30 local (18:30 GMT) near the entrance of the Dadin Kowa station and the Dukku sector was shaken about 20 minutes after.

It was impossible to determine if these explosions on Wednesday night were related to suicide attacks or if the scene had been ensnared.

These attacks appear to bear the seal of Boko Haram which has, in the past, attacked crowded bus stations, mosques, and churches during its six years of insurgency.

Shortly before the attack, Boko Haram had released a new video on Twitter where the group claims not to have been beaten and threatened that: "We will come to where you do not expect, stronger than before."

- Shredded body -

The double attack on Wednesday night in Cameroon was condemned by many.

Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, condemned the acts as “despicable and cowardly attacks against innocent people.” He urged people to be “vigilant” and should have a “close collaboration with the security forces,” while promising "the retreat of harm from these bloodthirsty criminals".

The "two terrorists blew themselves up at around 2:30 p.m. (1330 GMT) at the Barmaré area and the entrance to the central market in Maroua,” the Presidency stated, giving an official report of 11 dead including the two bombers and 32 wounded.

Earlier, the governor of the region, Midjiyawa Bakari, had said that two girls, "less than 15 years", were strapped with explosives. Another source close to the local authorities had confirmed that "two girls who were seen begging" had "exploded."

A Cameroonian journalist present in the city has described a "total panic" in the city where the explosions were heard.

"There were mutilated bodies with body parts all over the floor. It was terrible. People have never experienced that here in Maroua," he testified, adding that many injured were "very seriously" affected.

It is the second suicide bombing in Cameroon in 10 days. On July 12, two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at Fotokol (north) near the Nigerian border town, killing 11 people including 10 civilians and one Chadian soldier. The authorities in the region had in the wake, banned the wearing of the full veil (burqa) for safety.

- Nigerian President in Washington -

These suicide attacks on the Cameroonian territory are unprecedented even though the Nigerian Islamists have indulged in kidnappings and raids in the Far North for the past two years.

Cameroon has joined several neighboring countries (Nigeria, Chad, and Niger) in a regional military coalition, established in early 2015, against Boko Haram.

The insurgents have however, stepped up their violence in the region of Lake Chad and especially in Nigeria.

Before the attack on Wednesday in Gombe, the city had already been affected by a series of explosive devices which were triggered in a market, killing 49 people, last week.

Since the inauguration of the new Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, who has made the fight against Boko Haram a priority, some 570 people have died in Nigeria in the Islamists attacks, according to AFP count. On a visit to Washington on Wednesday, Mr Buhari said that the US refused to provide weapons to the Nigerian troops because the “so-called violations of human rights” was only benefitting Boko Haram.

The US government can only assist the military of a country accused of such violations legally.

" Regrettably , under the cover of this law and because of unsubstantiated claims of violations of human rights by our troops , we cannot have access to appropriate strategic weapons to fight this war ," said the president Nigeria during a speech to elected officials and activists.

The neighboring countries were not spared. N’Djamena, Chad's capital, was hit twice in less than a month and the last suicide bombing at the central market resulted in 15 dead and 80 wounded on July 11.