Yaounde, Feb 4 (IANS): Three Cameroonian soldiers and 14 Chadian soldiers died and a large number of Boko Haram militants were killed when the group attacked military camps in Fotokol, a border town in Cameroon's Far North Region neighbouring Nigeria Wednesday morning, military sources told Xinhua news agency.

The sources put the number of Boko Haram militants at around 7,000, adding that they had 30 armoured trucks, about 10 ordinary vehicles and hundreds of motorcycles, as well as sophisticated weapons.

In their ranks, there were Libyan, Sudanese and Malian mercenaries and fighters of non-African origin, the sources added.

Pushed back to Makari, another town in Cameroon's far north region, the Cameroonian army is preparing to carry out an offensive, supported by Chadian troops based in the same region, to recapture Fotokol from the terrorist group.

The attacks came just three days after an attempted attack by the terrorists in the same area was repulsed by Cameroonian and Chadian troops.