REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YAOUNDE -- Two suicide bombers killed at least seven people Sunday in twin attacks in northern Cameroon, an army official said, in an area near the border with Nigeria that has often been targeted by Boko Haram militants.

"According to initial information, nine people have died and 20 were injured," the official said, giving a toll that included the bombers.

The attacks in the far northern town of Kolofata brought to nine the number of suicide bombings in the area since July, which have killed about 100 people in total.

On September 3, the nearby town of Kerawa was hit by two suicide attacks that killed at least 20 people.

In Sunday's attack, two suicide bombers who were headed toward the town market detonated their suicide vests after being confronted by members of a local vigilante group, the army source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Cameroon is part of a five-nation force set up to fight Boko Haram alongside Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Benin.

Cameroon's far north region bordering Nigeria and Chad for the past two years has been targeted by a rising number of Boko Haram raids, kidnappings and, more recently, suicide attacks.

Boko Haram has stepped up its bloody attacks in recent months after a regional military coalition inflicted heavy losses on the group.

Cameroonian authorities have been trying to crack down on the risk of attacks by banning full Islamic face veils in public as well as stepping up searches and arrests.

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