Some 26 soldiers and gendarmes killed recently in the Far North Region and CAR, yesterday, August 28, 2014, received military honours in Yaounde.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o yesterday, August 28, 2014, extended the condolences of President Paul Biya, to relatives of the 21 soldiers and five gendarmes who died defending the country in the Far North Region against Boko Haram insurgents and in the Central Africa Republic, CAR, in peacekeeping duties. All fallen soldiers and gendarmes received Medals of Bravery for loyal services rendered in defence of their fatherland.

Amidst wailing, consternation, despair and agony, the Minister told relatives that the Head of State and the entire Armed Forces were concerned about the loss. He was flanked by the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Jean Baptiste Bokam, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-servicemen and War Victims, Koumpa Issa, and the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Justice, Jean Pierre Fogui.

Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Paul Kankeu, Chief of Staff of the 41 Motorised Infantry Brigade in a speech told families of the victims and the military corps that the 26 fallen soldiers were taking leave of life, not history. He said their lives just received a halt as destiny holds, but history will forever remember their bravery in battling to liberate the nation from a hostile group.

Out of the 26 corpses that received military honours yesterday, 25 died between July 24, 25, 27, 2014 and August 7, 2014 in Balgaram, Kamouna, Kolofata and Zigague in the Far North Region during Operations ‘Emergence 3,’ ‘Alpha,’ and ‘Serbeouel’ against Boko Haram insurgents. One of the soldiers, Rostand Fung Achu, was however killed by the anti-Balaka militia in the Central African Republic where he was part of the Cameroonian contingent to the African Union-led MISCA peacekeeping force.