Boko Haram kidnaps at least 80 people in Cameroon, some escape

YAOUNDé, Cameroon, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram have kidnapped at least 80 people in Cameroon.

Several people died in the attack launched by Boko Haram and many of those kidnapped were children. At least 20 people are reported to have escaped as Cameroon's military pursued the attackers.

The kidnappings come less than a week after Cameroon's military killed 143 Boko Haram militants within the country's borders.

Earlier this year, Boko Haram launched an attack that decimated the Nigerian town of Baga. Thousands may have died.

The militant Islamist group was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department in 2013. Boko Haram seeks to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria and has ruthlessly targeted civilians .

Chad to send troops to Cameroon to fight Islamist militant group Boko Haram http://t.co/gOuk7mCljO pic.twitter.com/lAExNJcDzd

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 16, 2015

Recently, Chad said it would send a large amount of troops to Cameroon to fight off the militant Islamist incursion. Nigeria is often criticized of being ineffective against Boko Haram.