Cameroon's army has repelled a cross-border raid by gunmen from the Central African Republic (CAR), killing six of the attackers and capturing one of them.

The border area has been tense since rebels in the CAR ousted President Francois Bozize in March. Mr. Bozize was briefly exiled in Cameroon before heading to France.

Ceoafrica gathered that about 400 gunmen are suspected to have launched the attack in an attempt to free CAR rebel leader Abdoulaye Miskine.

Mr. Miskine, the leader of the Democratic Front of the Central African People (FPDC) group, was arrested in Cameroon in September on suspicion of planning to use it as a base to attack the CAR.

He broke away from the Seleka rebel coalition, which overthrew Mr. Bozize.

CAR gunmen often raid villages in Cameroon for food and CAR has experienced numerous coups and rebellions since independence from France in 1960.

It is rich in minerals but its people are among the poorest in the world.